Merry December
by Little Miss Annie
Summary: Here you'll find a series of one-shots, from a number of different fandoms, all based on a different holiday prompt. Each prompt will be identified in the title as well as what the pairing and fandom will be. Each day will have two stories, one Gen and one Rom Ship. Enjoy.
1. White (part 1)

**Prompt: White (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Arrow**

The snow fell just outside the balcony doors. White, pure, untouched. Different snowflakes coming together to make a beautiful mantle all across the property. Thea stood there, debating on either tarnishing that mantle or going back to the Christmas party her mother was throwing.

This was Oliver's first Christmas since he came back from that God forsaken island and, unlike her mother, all she wanted was a quiet night in with her family and maybe a few close friends. But, no, instead, her mother threw a big party with shareholders and investors. Sure, some close friends were there as well, but this was definitely not what she had in mind for Oliver's first Christmas back.

Thea went back to the party, she knew if she didn't her mother would think she had snuck out to go partying. She was planning to do just that, but after the party was over. Looking around, she found Oliver near one of the double doors that lead to the backyard, looking pensive. She could see that this party was something he didn't want either. She made her way through the sea of people in the room until she got to him.

\- "Planning an escape? If so, I'm begging you to take me with you." – Oliver couldn't help but smile at his sister. Despite the last couple of weeks being tough on their relationship, he loved her dearly. Afterall, she was his baby sister.

\- "Still figuring out how to leave without mom noticing. She's keeping a close eye on me."

\- "Ah, the famous vigilant stare of Moira Queen. You're screwed, big brother."

\- "We'll see."

During the whole conversation, Oliver didn't take his eyes off his mother and as soon as she turned her back to greet another shareholder, he opened the double doors and pulled Thea with him.

\- "Christ, it's freezing out here. Okay, I'm already regretting this escape idea." – Thea was wearing a black, above the knee, dress and high heel shoes. Not exactly the attire recommended for snowy temperatures.

Oliver took his suit jacket off and laid it across her shoulders. Thea quickly put her arms in the sleeves and started rubbing them in an effort to warm up. He could see a cloud of warm breath leaving her mouth every time she exhaled. Assuming she would go back inside, Oliver started walking down the steps. He needed some time away from all those people. All they did was ask him the same two questions: when is he going to take his place at Queen Consolidated and what happened to him after the wreckage.

Thea saw her brother walking away from her. "He probably wants to be alone.", she thought. She was about to go back inside when she made a rash decision. Grabbing some snow from the floor, she quickly turned it into a ball and threw it at Oliver's back. He turned towards her and for a split second she thought she was in trouble, but when she saw him bending down and picking up some snow himself, she knew it was on.

Thea took off running, thou not fast enough because Oliver send a snowball her way, hitting her on her side. A yelp, followed by a heartfelt laugh, escaped her lips. They went on like this for what had felt like hours, going back and forth in throwing snowballs at each other, their laughs getting louder and louder.

It didn't take long for their absence to be noticed and for their laughs to be heard inside the house. People would line up the windows to see the Queen heirs, having a snowball fight, during a Christmas party. Their closest friends couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight, while everyone else wasn't sure how to react. But their mother knew.

Walking outside, she called them by their full names and they knew they were in trouble. Their mother took a long and hard look at them and send them both upstairs to change. They were both drenched; Oliver's tie had been lost in the middle of the snowball fight; Thea's shoes were all muddy. They were a wreck. Oliver and Thea felt like they were little kids all over again, caught doing something they weren't supposed to.

Moving across the room filled with guests, with their heads held high, they were having a hard time not to laugh at the shocked expressions they saw in some of their guests' faces. Exchanging looks, they didn't last long. They both burst out laughing, as they started walking up the stairs towards their rooms.

\- "Thanks, Thea."

\- "For what?"

\- "For giving me some normalcy this Christmas." – Oliver thanked her, just outside her room.

\- "Oli, you're my big brother and I know sometimes it doesn't seem like it, but I love you. This party was definitely not the way I would've celebrated your first Christmas with us."

\- "I love you too, Speedy."

\- "Worst nickname ever." – Thea answered with a wink and a smile, before entering her room.

Oliver watched his sister close her door behind her and turn to go into his own room, already making plans to kidnap her and take her on a "sibling bonding day". He missed her. Sure, he had a lot of work to do but his sister was more important.

For now, all he could do was change and get back to a party he didn't want to attend.


	2. White (part 2)

**Prompt: White (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Oliver Queen x OFC (Emily) / Fandom: Arrow**

The snow falls outside the window. Little snowflakes swirl close to the glass. Chatter, laughter and music fill the air. Memories flood Oliver's mind like a wave. Memories of that first Christmas back from the island. Memories of an unwanted party. Memories of a snowball fight with Thea, the only piece of normalcy that day. Memories of reconnecting with Thea after that. So much has changed since that day. He's now the Arrow. He has a team to help him. He has a better relationship with Thea. He's found love, something he thought he would never find.

Meeting Emily was a fluke. She had been his mother's nurse when she was shot, as well as Thea's. She even was his nurse when he almost died at the hands of the Dark Archer. So, when he needed help again, this time for Diggle, he knew exactly who to turn to. Thankfully, she was on his side and agreed to keep their secret, going as far as being their "personal nurse" whenever they needed her. It didn't take long for them to fall in love. They've been together for three years now and it still felt new and fresh. He loved her with all his heart and knew she felt the same.

And now, there he was. Five years after he returned and yet another Christmas party filled with shareholders and investors. Only this time he had not only Thea but Emily by his side as well. Oliver was so lost in his own mind that he didn't hear Emily approaching. Emily snaked her arm under his and kissed his cheek.

\- "You okay, babe?" - Emily asked him. He must have looked a tad lost, for her to be asking him that. Oliver just smiled and kissed her. He couldn't believe he could be this lucky. Something was bound to go wrong, he just knew it.

\- "I'm okay." - He reassured her and led her back to the crowd of people where his mother was trying to make everyone feel welcomed.

Across the room, Oliver saw Thea in the same spot he was in five years ago, looking out the same double doors that led to the backyard. He could tell all she wanted was to leave. That's when he decided some memories were worth repeating. Moving across the room with Emily by his side, he stood next to Thea.

\- " Planning an escape? If so, I'm begging you to take me with you." - Thea chuckled, remembering that those were the exact same words that she had said to him all those years ago.

\- "As if we could. Mom knows better than to let us out of her sight."

\- "If you remember, last time you said something like that, we were still able to escape."

\- "You think you can pull that off again? Love to see you try. Only this time it would be three of us, not just you and me." - Thea nodded towards Emily, still holding on to his arm, looking oblivious to the conversation.

\- "If we move quickly, your mother is about to go check things out in the kitchen and we'll have an opening." - Emily said, obviously tuned in on the conversation. Apparently, she had been observing their mother and was waiting for the right moment to let them know when to escape. "That's my girl.", Oliver thought, smiling at her.

Sure enough, their mother excused herself and left for the kitchen. Thea opened the doors and the three of them quickly traded the warmth of the room for the coldness of the backyard. Emily shivered when the cold air collided with her skin and Oliver took his jacket off, wrapping her in it, kissing her in the process. Thea wasn't feeling the cold. She must have been planning this escape since they heard about the party, because her outfit was elegant but warm.

Oliver saw Thea approach Emily and ask her if she was okay. He was always amazed at how quickly Thea welcomed Emily into the family. They had a true sisterly bond from the moment they met. It was safe to say that Thea looked up to Emily and Emily always treated Thea as her baby sister. Between the two of them and Felicity, they had a bond that he was sure nothing could sever.

Emily whispered something in Thea's ear and next thing he knows, he's being attacked with snowballs. The grin on each other's face was undeniable. He quickly grabbed some snow and made two balls from it. Throwing them in quick succession, both hit his intended targets: Thea's stomach and Emily's shoulder.

The girls didn't back down. Grabbing some more snow and throwing it at him, soon, Oliver was covered in snow. They would run and hide behind the small bushes for protection, a makeshift barrier between them and Oliver, in an attempt to protect themselves from him, but he was a sharpshooter, hitting them with each snowball he would throw.

Their laughter was contagious and could be heard inside, overpowering the music and chatter. Hearing such laughter, people started gravitating towards the large windows and were presented with the sight of the Queen heirs, plus the oldest Queen's girlfriend, in an intense snowball fight.

Oliver didn't care that everyone was watching. He was having too much fun to bother with some disapproving looks and a few chuckles. Making a run for it, he caught Emily in his arms. Thea was nowhere to be found. Turning her in his arms, Oliver pulled her closer and kissed her. Emily returned the kiss, her cheeks red from the cold and all the running. Breaking the kiss, he looked into her eyes and smiled fondly at the woman that stole his heart.

\- "I love you so much, Emily Richards."

\- "I love you too, Oliver Queen." – Emily answered with a smile, before kissing him again.

A kiss that was interrupted by a snowball right in both their cheeks. They laughed whole heartedly and Thea's laughter joined theirs. Oliver signaled to her to join them. When Thea was at arm's reach, he pulled her close. It must have been quite the sight, all three of them, standing in the snow, hugging each other's close, completely covered in snow. He didn't care. He was happy.

The moment, however, was quickly interrupted by their mother's voice calling out to them by their full names. Oliver saw Emily's face reach a new level of redness and Thea rolling her eyes. Turning his head towards their mother, he nodded towards her before releasing both girls from his arms. Emily tugged at his jacket, clearly feeling embarrassed. Oliver simply kissed the top of her head before taking her hand in his and taking both her and Thea towards the house.

\- "Both of you never learn, do you? We have some very important people inside, people who can choose to not have any sort of business with our company and here you are, acting like five-year old's." – Moira Queen scold them, never breaking eye contact with them.

\- "We'll go upstairs and change, mother." – Oliver answered her, a stoic look on his face.

They all made their way back inside, unable to hide the grin on their faces. Reaching the second floor of the Queen mansion, Thea took Emily to her room so she could change into one of her dresses. Oliver went to his own room and changed. Looking himself in the mirror, he just stood there, thinking of how much his life has changed and how much happy he was now.

Life wasn't always easy for him, in the more recent years, but now he had found true happiness. Happiness provided by a single person: Emily. She made everything worthwhile. That's when he made a decision. He wasn't gonna lose her. He wasn't gonna take that chance. He knew what he had to do.

Hopefully, by the end of the year, Oliver Queen will no longer be a bachelor. Hopefully.


	3. Snow Angel (part 1)

**Prompt: Snow Angel (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

It had been a grueling week. Another case that would suck a little more happiness out of them. Cases involving children always did, more so when it was so close to Christmas. Penelope had her way to deal with it, filling her office with images of puppies and kittens, as well as toys, all to remind her to smile and to not lose herself in the darkness, but not everyone did.

Penelope could tell that this particular case had taken its toll on the team, so she decided to take upon herself the task of finding a way to cheer them up, just a little. She sent out a mass text to everyone, asking them to meet her in the bullpen. She had the perfect idea.

Walking into the bullpen with a knowing smile, she saw that everyone was already there. Rossi was talking to Hotch and his girlfriend, Danielle; Morgan was messing with Reid, as per usual, while Prentiss and JJ were looking through some new photos of Henry, her toddler. Clearing her throat, all eyes were on her.

\- "What's going on, baby girl? Please don't tell me we have a new case." – Penelope could see Morgan sag his shoulders as he asked her.

\- "Nope, no new case."

\- "Then, what's going on, Penelope?" – JJ asked her, clearly wanting to make sure nothing was wrong.

\- "You all trust me, right?" – Penelope asked shyly, being rewarded with a chorus of "yes". – "Okay, then. Follow me and I'll tell you everything."

\- "And were exactly are we going?" – Rossi asked, following Penelope towards the elevator.

\- "You'll see." – Was all the answer he received from her.

Pilling up in the elevator, the team saw Penelope push the lobby button and start humming Christmas songs. To say they were confused was an understatement. Penelope was never one to be so mysterious about something, hell, she would even let escape what their Christmas gifts would be, so to see her so mysterious like that, they were definitely confused.

Once they reached the lobby, Penelope turned to them and spoke.

\- "Okay, so. It's safe to say that we had a pretty shitty week. This case hit us hard and we could all use a little bit of cheering up." – Penelope told them, while they made their way across the lobby and out the door. – "So, I thought we could all, and I mean all Mr. Rossi, make some snow angels. I know it's a crazy idea but I remembered how much fun they were to make when I was a kid, so I thought we could make them."

Everyone was stunned. For a second Penelope thought that they were going to say no, but that's when she was surprised. Rossi shrugged his shoulders at her, as if saying "Why not?", and let himself fall backwards on the cold snow and started making one. She couldn't help but smile. Taking Rossi's lead, she did the same and hoped and prayed that the rest of the team would follow their lead.

It didn't take long for the rest of the team to be laying on their backs making snow angels. First was Prentiss, followed by a chuckling JJ. Morgan followed suit, dragging an, at first, unwilling Reid. The last one standing was the boss himself. Penelope saw Danielle whisper something in his ear and then pushing him onto the snow, right next to Rossi, right before she landed on her back, laughing.

Laughter filled the air and soon the snow angels were abandoned and a full out snowball fight began. It was every man for himself. Penelope stopped and looked at the team, thinking that it felt really good to hear them laugh like that after the week they had.

A snow ball hit her straight across the face, pulling her out of her thoughts. When she looked over to see who the culprit was, she was surprised to see it had been Hotch. Penelope grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at him. After a while, they all converged back to their initial spot, tired and wet.

\- "Thank you, Garcia. We definitely needed this." – Hotch said to her, a smile on his lips, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a sideways hug, before saying his goodbyes.

\- "You, my dear, are brilliant." – Danielle whispered in her ear, giving her a tight hug.

\- "Next time, maybe we should start with the snowballs, then the angels." – Rossi told her with a wink and a kiss to the cheek, before he too said goodnight.

\- "Just what the doctor ordered, Pen. Thank you." – JJ said, kissing her cheek along with Prentiss, moving away.

Reid simply smiled and hugged her tight. She knew that he had the hardest time with that case.

\- "You did good, baby girl. We might need to do this on a more regular basis." – Morgan wrapped an arm around her, leading her towards the building.

Penelope felt proud of herself. Sure, it was a long shot that everyone would agree to this crazy idea, but she was happy they did. Walking back to the building, she couldn't help but smile. It was a long week, but the way it finished, that's what she was going to always remember.


	4. Snow Angel (part 2)

**Prompt: Snow Angel (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x OFC (Danielle) / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

Another week had ended. This case was gonna give him nightmares for days to come. He couldn't wait to see Danielle. She always made everything better and could always put a smile on his lips and right now that's exactly what he needed. They had been together for a year now and he was happy, really happy. After Haley's death, he thought he would never be that happy again, but he was. Not only did she love him, she loved Jack as if he was her own. That just made him love her even more.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. Telling whoever it was to come in, he was happily surprised to see Danielle walking into his office.

\- "Dany? Is everything okay?"

\- "Hello to you too." – Danielle chuckled at his reaction.

\- "Sorry, it was a long week. Hi." – He smiled and pulled her into a kiss.

\- "I figured. The way you sounded earlier on the phone, I could tell that this was a hard one, so I decided to drop by and take you out to dinner, just the two of us. Jack's at a sleepover and we only have to pick him up tomorrow before lunch. So, what do you say?"

\- "That sounds great, sweetheart. Let me just…" – Aaron is interrupted by his phone signaling a new text message had come in. Looking it over, he saw it was from Garcia and that she wanted the whole team to meet her at the bullpen.

\- "Garcia wants the team in the bullpen. Wanna come?"

\- "Sure, why not. It could be interesting seeing you all in action." – Aaron threw his arm around her waist and led her down to the bullpen.

Aaron saw Danielle greet everyone, before coming back to his side. They both settle in on a conversation with Rossi about Italian food. Danielle had Italian heritage, so the both of them were always trading recipes and cooking tips. He couldn't help but be amazed at how his team had quickly welcomed her into the fold.

The unmistakable sound of Penelope's heels was heard long before they even saw her. Aaron saw her coming into the bullpen with a smile on her lips. Penelope never ceased to amaze him. She could always find the light in the darkness that was their job.

Morgan was the first to speak, asking her if there was a new case. Aaron sure hoped there wasn't. He couldn't handle a new case just now. He saw Penelope avoid everyone's questions, not giving any direct answers. When she asked them to follow her, they all did. He knew Penelope would never do anything too outrageous, so he grabbed Danielle's hand and brought her along with them.

The plot thickened when they got to the lobby. She was talking as their made their way out the door into the snow-covered street. Aaron looked at Danielle and saw that she had this bright smile on her lips and he had to smile as well.

\- "Do you know what Garcia is up too?"

\- "Nope, but I have a pretty good idea." – Danielle answered him, a smile on her lips, before kissing him.

That's when he heard Penelope asking them to make snow angels with her. "Really? Snow angels?", he thought, "Well, at least is not to start caroling." Rossi was the first to go, followed by JJ and Prentiss and, finally, Morgan and Reid. He wasn't so sure it would be a good idea for the head of the BAU to be making snow angels just outside the offices.

\- "You know you have to do it. If you don't, she will feel hurt. Besides, it's a good team exercise." – Danielle whispered.

\- "Do you think I should? I mean, I'm their boss."

\- "So? You're off the clock, babe. You all need this. Just do it." – That's the last thing she said to him, before pushing him into the snow and falling on her back right beside him.

She was right. He needed that. He could hear the laughter that something as simple as making snow angels was supplying. Danielle was laying next to him, looking at him, a loving look in her eyes. How could he not love her even more in that moment?

Suddenly, he's hit by a snow ball. Danielle was the one who threw it and looking over at his team, he saw that a snowball fight at began. Snowballs were flying everywhere. He threw a few, hitting Danielle, Morgan and Rossi and nearly hitting Reid.

That's when he saw Penelope, just standing there, completely lost in thought. Aaron grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at her, hitting her across the face. She looked so stunned, it was impossible not to laugh. She took that as her cue to attack him.

Eventually, they all went back to where the angels had been made.

\- "Thank you, Garcia. We definitely needed this." – Aaron said to her, a smile on his lips, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a sideways hug, before saying his goodbyes.

He saw Danielle hug Penelope tight and whisper something in her ear.

\- "Everything okay?"

\- "Yeah, just thought she needed to know how amazing she is." – Danielle answered him, a smile on her lips.

\- "Have I told you how much I love you?"

\- "Not in the last hour, no." – Aaron grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. Kissing her passionately, there were no words needed.

Aaron loved her deeply and he knew she felt the same. Despite the chaotic hours his job entailed, she was always there for him. And that night was just another reminder of how much she loved him. He had to be honest, he was scared to do something that might cause him to lose her. He couldn't go through that again, but he was determined not to make the same mistakes he did in the past. This time, he was gonna make it last.


	5. Snowman (part 1)

**Prompt: Snowman (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

It has been a while since Danny had been in New Jersey. It felt like every time he was back, it was for less than happy reasons, but this time was different. This time he had brought Grace with him to celebrate Christmas at the William's household. Everyone would be there: his parents; his sisters with their families; even his baby sister, Lisa, had come; plus, a special guest.

Seeing the snow outside the kitchen window brought back memories. Danny remembered the multiple times he had snowball fights with his siblings in the backyard, making snow angels (and getting yelled at because they would get soaked to the bones doing them) and building snowmen, one for the girls, one for the boys. Everything was a competition with them and it seemed that that competitive gene wasn't lost on their kids.

He could hear the yelling and laughter that came from the living room and his heart filled with joy knowing that one of those laughter's belonged to his daughter. It was a struggle convincing Rachel to allow Grace to come to Jersey with him for Christmas, and at some point, he even thought that she wouldn't be convinced, but after a conversation between her and his sister Lisa, somehow, Rachel said that he could bring her, as long as he brought her back before New Year's Eve. Danny didn't know what she had said to Rachel, but whatever it was, it worked and Danny was beyond grateful that it did.

Danny heard footsteps coming in the kitchen. Looking over, he saw the bright smile of his beautiful daughter Grace.

\- "Everything okay, monkey?" – Danny asked and the little girl replied with a quick nod and a smile. Looking back at the window, he had an idea.

\- "Hey, monkey, what do you say we sneak out and go make a snowman?"

Grace's face lit up, giving her father a megawatt smile and nodding as quickly as her little neck and head possible could.

\- "Okay, then. Let's go."

Danny grabbed his daughter's hand and lead her to the back door. Grabbing two coats and two pairs of gloves from the coat hanger by the door, they put them on and traded the cozy kitchen for the cold of the night. Before closing the door, he flipped the switch that would light the backyard just enough for them to be able to see what they were doing. Danny then closed the door quietly and led Grace down the steps to the middle of the yard.

The snow was thick but manageable, perfect to make a snowman. They both knelt down and started gathering snow for the base of their snowman. Danny could see the smile on his daughter's face and the glimmer of excitement in her eyes. She was happy. That's all that Danny ever wanted for his daughter. She had already been through so much in her few years of being on this Earth, that he knew he would do whatever it took to see her happy, by all means necessary.

Once the base was at Grace's taste, they moved on to the second tier of her snowman. Pilling as much snow as they could on top of the first one, Grace would shape it while Danny would pile more and more snow onto it. His hands were getting cold but it was worth it. Every once in a while, he would throw a bit of snow at her, making her laugh and telling him to stop. She was determined to have the best and prettiest snowman ever. The way she would furrow her brows in concentration had to be the cutest thing he had ever seen.

Eventually, the second tier was done by Grace's standards. They began working on the head of the snowman and that's when he remembered they were gonna need something for the nose, eyes and mouth. Telling Grace he would be right back, Danny turned to go back inside and that's when he saw them. Lisa and Steve, by the window he had been previously on, looking at them with sweet smiles on their lips. By the door was a small box with a carrot, a hat and a lot of buttons of all sizes and shapes. They had put it there. He looked back at them and mouthed his thank you, then turned away, returning to his daughter's side.

By the time Danny got back to Grace's side, she had almost finished the head. He chuckled knowing the little girl had to had stretched herself to the fullest of her height in order to reach the top of the head. Grace took a step back, admiring their work and that's when Danny presented her the box. The first thing she took out was the hat. Giving it to Danny, he placed it on top of the snowman's head, slightly tilted. That made Grace chuckle. Next was the carrot. Picking her up, she stabbed it with the carrot to make sure it would stay in place. Taking the box in his other hand, Danny let her choose what buttons she wanted for the eyes and mouth. The ones that were left were used as jacket buttons on the body.

Once it was finish, Danny put her back down and they both took a step back admiring the now complete Mr. Sniffles. Grace told Danny that his name was due to the fact that he was made of snow and that the snow was cold, making her nose sniffle. He chuckled at the little girl's explanation for the name.

Making their way back into the house, both feeling accomplished, they quickly discarded the jackets and gloves and went for the hot chocolate that was still hot and waiting for them, to help them warm up. But neither were prepared for the surprises that the night would still bring them.

"Yep, this is gonna be a Christmas to remember.", Danny thought, a smile on his lips.


	6. Snowman (part 2)

**Prompt: Snowman (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve McGarrett x OFC (Lisa) / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

The entire ride home from the airport, Lisa was a nervous wreck. She was finally introducing Steve as her boyfriend to her family. It's wasn't like her family didn't know they were dating, they had been together for three years now, but, because of his job, this was the first time they would all be in one place at the same time. Some already knew Steve, like her parents, her nephew Eric and of course Danny, but her sisters didn't. She had told them about him, even cried on the phone after a fight or two to them, but they were yet to meet him in person. Her sisters, particularly Stella, could be really protective of her, even more than Danny, so she didn't know how they would treat Steve and that made her nervous. But it wasn't just that. Lisa had a secret and she had decided that tonight was the night she would share that secret, not only with her family, but, more importantly, with Steve.

The day went by without a hitch. Her father picked them up from the airport, them being herself, Steve, Danny and her niece, Grace. This was also gonna be the first Christmas in a long time that Grace was gonna spend in Jersey. Rachel didn't want to let Grace go, but after Lisa talked to her and explained to her that everyone in their family missed Grace terrible and promising her to have her back in Hawaii before New Year's Eve, Rachel was okay with the idea of Grace going. Danny owed her, big time.

Lunch time came and went. At that point it was still just Steve, Grace, Danny, her and their parents. The nervousness began to settle in again when the clock hit five o'clock in the afternoon. Her sisters had said that they would be there around that time, so she knew that it was now or never.

The first to arrive was Bridget, the second oldest of the girls. With her came her husband Ted and her daughter, Sophie. Grace quickly "kidnapped" Sophie for a playdate, leaving the adults to their own devices. Hugs and kisses were given all around and then the moment of truth came.

\- "Bridget, this is Steve McGarrett. Danny's partner in Hawaii and… my boyfriend."

\- "So, this is the guy who had Danny shot on his first day as his partner, hum?" – "Here we go.", Lisa thought at her sister's answer, "Poor Steve doesn't stand a chance."

\- "In all fairness, he should have ducked. I did yell 'gun'."

\- "It serves him right for being a know it all." – Things were off to a good start. Bridget was already being her usual self around Steve and Lisa could see Steve relaxing when Bridget answered him with a jab at Danny.

"Let's hope things go as smoothly with Stella.", Lisa thought just before the doorbell rang. In comes her older sister, Stella and her nephew Eric. Eric had come home early so he could spend some time with his mother before Christmas. Stella was the wild card. Being the oldest of the girls, she made it her mission to protect Lisa and Bridget from anything or anyone that could potentially hurt them.

\- "Stella, this is Steve McGarrett, my boyfriend."

Stella didn't say anything for a few minutes, she just stood there, eyeing Steve as if he would explode at any given time and hurt Lisa in the process. Lisa looked at Eric and saw this shit-eating grin on his face. Giving him a confused look, all she got in response was a shake of his head, as if saying "Don't worry". Steve was handling Stella's scrutiny like a champ. "Thank God for his Seal training.", Lisa thought.

\- "You're okay, Steve. But, just in case Danny hasn't had this conversation with you, if you hurt my baby sister, I don't care if you're a Navy Seal, I'll show you some Jersey justice, got it?"

\- "Yes, ma'am." – That was all the poor guy could say before Lisa called Stella out, outraged at her sister's statement.

Lisa gave a sympathetic look at Steve and was greeted by a sweet smile in return. She and Danny had warned him about Stella, but neither thought she would go as far as threaten the poor guy. Steve, however, didn't seemed fazed by her words. Later he would tell her that Danny had had that same talk with him and had warned him that Stella would be a lot tougher on him.

The night quickly came. Lisa was happy having her whole family there, playing games and laughing their hearts out. She didn't know how it happened, but suddenly she was seeing both her nieces kicking Eric's ass at Monopoly. The competition was fierce between the three of them and it reminded her of when she and her siblings were younger and the numerous competitions they would come up with, always wanting to one-up the other.

Lisa saw Grace standing up and making her way to the kitchen where she knew Danny was, once the game was over. The adults were busy talking and laughing at their conversations, Lisa sitting next to Steve, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulling her close to his side, while talking to Stella about Eric and his work in the crime lab. When Lisa looked again at the kitchen, she noticed that she couldn't hear Danny or Grace anymore. Excusing herself, she went to the kitchen and saw that the lights of the backyard were on.

What she saw, warmed her heart and made her nervous at the same time. Danny was in the backyard making a snowman with Grace. It wasn't because of what they were doing that she got nervous, no, it was the thought of telling her secret to everyone that came to mind when she saw them.

Lisa felt an arm snake itself around her waist and a chin resting on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Steve. Allowing herself to relax in his embrace, they both stood there, just like that, watching Danny and Grace. Lisa then remembered that they were going to need to embellish the snowman and told Steve to wait there for her. Going to the cabinet in the hallway, she retrieved a box with buttons that her mother always kept there, took one of dad's hats from the coat hanger by the door and a carrot from the fridge. She silently opened the back door and placed it there, returning to Steve's embrace afterwards.

Neither Lisa or Steve wanted to move, so they just kept watching Danny and his little girl. They saw Danny coming towards the house and seeing the box, mouthing a thank you towards them, getting smiles and nods in return. Lisa looked over her shoulder at Steve and what she saw marveled her. Steve had this longing look in his eyes as he watched Danny play with Grace in the snow. They never talked about kids, but she knew in that moment that he wanted them and she was sure he would make an amazing father. If anyone had any doubts, all they had to do was watch him with Grace and all the doubts would disappear.

That was the moment she decided she was gonna tell him her secret.

\- "Steve?"

\- "Yeah?"

\- "I need to tell you something." – Lisa said, turning in his arms so she could face him. "Here we go, no turning back now."

\- "Okay, what is it? Is everything okay?"

\- "Yeah, everything's fine or, at least, I think it is." – Steve didn't say anything, he just nodded at her to continue. Lisa took a deep breath and continued.

\- "You know how I've been feeling sick for the last couple of weeks and we thought it might be a stomach flu? Well, I went to the doctor before we came, to make sure it was a stomach flu so I wouldn't pass it on to anyone, and…" – Lisa was a wreck. She didn't know how to tell him.

\- "And…?"

\- "Steve, I'm pregnant."

Steve just stood there, with her in his arms. The more the time passed, the more she would panic. Was he happy? Was he pissed? Then, a smile broke on his lips and he kissed her passionately.

\- "Please tell me you're not joking. I don't think I would recover if this is a joke."

\- "I'm not joking. Eight weeks. By my math, it was when I had to stop taking the pill because of that antibiotic I was on and we had that crazy night at your house, in the ocean, remember?"

\- "Do you have any idea of how much I love you right now?" – Steve had tears in his eyes and a goofy smile on his lips, and so did she.

Steve kissed her passionately and rubbed his hand on her belly, as if trying to feel their child. Just then the back door opened and Danny and Grace came in. Danny looked at them confused as to why they would have tears in their eyes and was about to ask when Grace beat him to it.

\- "Aunt Lisa, why you're crying? Are you sad?" – Her little voice asked, dripping with concern towards her aunt.

\- "No, sweetie. These are happy tears. Come here, I'm gonna tell you a secret but you can't say anything to anyone other than you dad, okay?" – Grace nodded quickly. Lisa kneeled down and whispered in her ear what the secret was. When Lisa straighten herself up, she saw that the little girl's face had completely lit up and she was jumping up and down with excitement.

Giving her a nod towards her dad, Grace understood what Lisa meant and pulled her dad down so she could whisper in his ear. At first Danny seemed confused by what his daughter was saying, but then he understood. His face went from confusion, to shock, to pure happiness within seconds.

\- "You're sure?" – He asked Lisa, making sure they weren't playing a twisted joke on him. When Lisa nodded and said that she was eight weeks and that the doctor had confirmed, he pulled her from Steve's arms into his and hugged her tight, a tear escaping his eye.

Lisa could tell Danny was truly happy for her and after hugging her and congratulating them, he hugged Steve close and told him that now he had to be more careful. Danny asked when she was planning to tell everyone else and she answered that she knew she was supposed to wait until she was at least twelve weeks but she wasn't sure she would be able too. Looking back at Steve, hoping he would make that decision for both of them, she heard him say that if she wanted, they could tell them that night. It was decided then, it was happening that night. They thought it would be fun to let Grace tell everyone, let her make the announcement.

Making their way back into the living room, Lisa couldn't help but think how much their lives were going to change in just a few months. But for right now, she had to focus on the announcement that Grace was about to make.

"God help us.", Lisa thought with a smile.


	7. Holidays (part 1)

**Prompt: Holidays (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Supernatural**

Angels didn't celebrate Christmas. Afterall, they didn't see the logic in it. Exchanging gifts and decorating trees, it just didn't make sense to them. As Christmas was approaching, Castiel knew that, for him, it would just be a normal period of time. So, he had no plans on getting gifts or make polite conversation around a tree.

In the past, the boys would be in agreement with him. However, since Dean started dating Emma, things had changed. They had been dating for about two years now and soon they began celebrating the holidays, including Christmas. Castiel had asked why she was so adamant in celebrating them and her answer made him think. "It gives the boys a sense of normalcy, Cas. Something they don't get that often. If celebrating Thanksgiving or Christmas, makes them feel a bit more like normal people and less like hunters, why not?", Castiel remembered her saying. After giving a good and long thought on it, he had to agree with Emma.

It was about a week before Christmas when Emma came to him, a bit flustered.

\- "Hey Cas. Do you have a minute?"

\- "Of course, Emma. What can I help you with?" – Suddenly, Cas felt that something was different with her. Tilting his head to the side, he glanced over her and realized what was different.

\- "Don't say it, Cas. By the look on your face I can tell you already know, so don't say it."

\- "If that's what you want, but I think you should tell Dean."

\- "I will, on Christmas Eve. But I need you to do something for me."

\- "Very well."

\- "I know that you don't celebrate the holidays and that you chose to leave when the time comes but, this time, I want you to stay. I know it will mean a lot to Dean if you're there when I tell him, and to me too. So, will you stay? Please?"

It wasn't an odd request from Emma, after all she had always been kind to him, even after finding out all the bad things he had done to the boys, for the greater good.

\- "Of course. If it is your wish for me to partake in the celebrations, then I will. But…"

\- "What is it, Cas?"

\- "I believe it is tradition to exchange gifts and I don't have any to give." – Emma chuckled at the worried expression on his face.

\- "I'll tell you what, Cas. What about we go to town and go buy some gifts for the boys? I'll help you choose." – Castiel gave her a grateful look. He knew he had no idea what kind of gifts one would give in these occasions, so to have her help would be much appreciated.

Emma excused herself and went to grab her jacket and to tell Dean they were making a run into town, after telling Cas she would meet him in the garage. He then remembered that he also needed to get her a gift. "What does one gift someone in her condition?", he thought. He couldn't ask her to help him with her own gift, he knew that much. The person gifted wasn't supposed to know what their gift would be. Cas would have to enlist the help of the salesperson or another shopper. That would require him to talk to other people and he wasn't sure he could do it properly.

They made their way into town, silence filled the car, both of them unsure of what to say. Cas looked at Emma and thought of all the times she had been on his side, sometimes even going against Dean. She never asked him to use his powers on her, even if she was hurt in some way and she could clearly benefit from it. She was always kind and patient with him, taking the time to explain to him the things he had a hard time understanding, never wavering in her patience.

Over the last year, many were the times were Emma or the boys had asked him to stay and celebrate with them the holidays, but he always felt that it didn't make sense for him to do so. But this time, this time was different.

Cas never celebrated the holidays, but this time he would and he was sure it wasn't the last time he would do so.


	8. Holidays (part 2)

**Prompt: Holidays (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC (Emma) / Fandom: Supernatural**

Dean had been looking for the perfect gift for Emma for a month and he only had two weeks left to find it. To say he was getting desperate was an understatement. He had already bought Sam's gift, all was left was hers and, by Chuck, was it hard. He had a pretty good idea of what he wanted, the hard part was find it.

He and Sam had just finished another hunt when, on their way back to the hotel from the local diner, he looked at an antique store's window and he froze. That it was. The perfect gift. Telling Sam that he would be right back, Dean walked in and asked the old lady behind the counter if it was for sale. When she said it was, he didn't even care about the price. He told her he would take it. He had finally found Emma's gift.

Dean is in the kitchen getting himself a mid-afternoon snack, remembering that moment, when Emma walked in, her jacket under her arm.

\- "Hey babe. Going somewhere?"

\- "Yep, I'm going into town with Cas. He's staying this year for Christmas and I'm gonna go with him to buy you guys presents." – Dean could tell she was excited by the way she talked fast and the quick kiss she gave him.

Emma pretty much had adopted Cas, being this sort of motherly figure to him. Which was kind of hilarious, considering he was hundred of years older than her. But that's who she was, always taking care of the people she loved.

Christmas Eve had finally arrived and they were all caught in the joy of the holidays. When he and Emma had started dating, she basically demanded that they celebrated all the holidays, to put in her words, "It will give us a sense of normalcy.". At first all three of them had fight her on it, but, damn, can the woman be stubborn. Eventually, they gave in and agreed.

And now there they were. Sitting around the table in the library, a roasted ham in the middle of the table and all sorts of side dishes spread around the table surrounding it. He could, also, smell the intoxicating smell of home baked pie coming from the kitchen. Emma had been in the kitchen all day, preparing dinner, making sure everything was perfect for Cas' first Christmas with them. And that right there, just made him love her even more.

Toasts were made, dinner was eaten and they were now relaxing in the couches in the library. Cas kept asking Emma about all the different traditions that people would do to celebrate Christmas and Emma, Chuck bless her, would answer to all of them, sometimes repeating herself but never losing her patience.

Pulling her close to him on the couch, Dean kissed the top of her head. She looked up and leaned towards him, giving him a sweet kiss in return, her hand over his chest. Breaking the kiss, they just stared at each other, loving looks on both their faces.

They were both brought back to reality by a questioning Castiel.

\- "When do you exchange gifts, Emma?"

\- "Usually, on Christmas morning, but since this is your first Christmas, if everyone agrees, maybe we could exchange them tonight?" – Emma answered him, a smile on her lips, before turning towards Dean and Sam to see if they were okay with the idea. Both of them had no problem in exchanging gifts early, after all they always made their own traditions.

Sam went first. For Dean, he had bought a very expensive, top of the line, car wax for the Impala. He knew how much he loved that car, almost as much as he loved Emma. Then, it was Cas' turn. It took a while for Sam to find the perfect gift for him, but he found it. He was in a library when he came across this book. It was a book on human behavior. "Perfect.", Sam had thought with a chuckle. Maybe now Cas wouldn't bombard Emma with so many questions.

And, last but not least, Emma. Emma was a challenge. He never knew what to get her, not even for her birthday. Sam would ask her a million questions but would always come up empty. That was until a few weeks ago. He was looking through some photos on his computer, when Emma came into the room and saw a photo they had taken. It was a simple photo: just her, Dean, Sam and Cas, leaning against the Impala. She had asked a kid to take the photo and paid him 20 bucks for it. But the look on her face now, looking at it… That's when he realized what her present was gonna be. Sam had printed it and framed it in a beautiful white frame. That was what she was holding in that moment. She gave him a tight hug and thanked him, saying that she loved it.

Dean was next. He started with Sam. He knew his brother was this big tech nerd, so he knew he had to get him something tech related. Surfing online, he came across this add for a smart watch. It was supposed to work as a wrist smartphone and he knew that was just something up Sam's alley. The look on his brother face was priceless. Sam couldn't believe that Dean would think of getting something that techy. Hugging Sam close, Dean moved on to Cas.

For Cas, it was fairly simple. He knew Cas needed some real-world experience, so what better way to get it than with a gift certificate to a gentleman's club. Cas looked confused and when Dean explained it to him, it earned him a slap on the arm from Emma. He even volunteered Sam to go with Cas, which was returned with Sam's famous bitch face.

Dean saved the best for last. Emma. Giving the small box to her, he couldn't wait to see her reaction. Emma opened the box and her eyes went wide. Inside was an antique gold locket. She had mention how she had always wanted one and Dean had been desperately looking for one. When she opened it, she smiled. In there, was a picture of the two of them, taken not that long ago. She kissed him tenderly and thanked him, saying that she loved it. He took it from her and put it around her neck. It fitted perfectly.

Now it was Cas' turn. Emma looked at him and nodded, telling him that it was his turn. Cas gave Sam his gift first. It was the complete collection of the Supernatural series, signed by Chuck. Emma and Dean couldn't help laughing at Sam' expression. Cas looked a bit confused but when Sam thanked and hugged him, he knew he had done well.

Then, it was Dean. Cas excused himself and heard Emma chuckling. She knew what his gift for Dean was and she explained to him, that considering what it was, it was a bit funny. Cas returned to the library carrying a dozen roses. "The man said you buy them for someone that you would go to Hell and back for. I found it fitting.", Cas told Dean, who had a dumbfounded expression on his face. Cas could hear Sam trying to hide the laughter and failing miserably. Emma, after calming down from laughing so hard, explain to him that flowers are usually gifted to women. Not that men couldn't get them, but it wasn't as usual. Dean just shrugged and pulled Cas into a one arm hug and thanked him. Cas had one more gift to give, but he was saving it for later.

It was Emma's turn. She decided to start with Cas. She had seen this little man's bracelet that had a set of wings on it and immediately thought of her favorite angel. Giving the small box to the angel, she wasn't sure what he would make of it, but the look on his face told her that he loved it. Helping him putting it on, she quickly found herself wrapped in a tight hug. Cas thanked her and spent the rest of the time admiring it.

Then it was Sam's turn. For Sam, it was a no brainer. She had been bidding on an auction and a few days before she managed to win. It was a first edition of an obscure lore book that she had heard Sam say he was missing. Once he unwrapped the gift, she saw Sam's face going from shock to happiness at his gift. He never thought she would go as far as tracking that thing down and actually buy it. Apparently, their second father, Bobby, had one and was lost when his house burned down. Sam thought it had been lost forever. He got up from his seat and pulled her up into a bear hug. Kissing the top of her head and thanking her, he went back to his seat and started looking over the book.

Finally, it had come Dean's turn. She had this one made specially for him. Emma handed a medium size box to Dean and waited. Dean pulled the top of the box and, after removing the loose paper that was on top, he just froze. Looking very slowly back at Emma, she could see he had tears in his eyes when he asked her if she was serious. When she nodded her head in confirmation that she wasn't joking, tears in her eyes as well, he picked her up and kissed her passionately.

Sam looked confused at his brother. Looking over at Cas, expecting to see the same look on his face, he was surprised to see that Cas had a sweet and kind smile on his face. Asking Dean what was wrong, all that Dean did was point to the box Emma had just given him. Grabbing the box off of the couch, Sam looked stunned and overwhelmed. Inside was a tiny baby onesie that said, in bold letters, "My dad's a hunter". Sam looked back at Emma, who in return asked him if he was ready to be an uncle. He couldn't help the tears that fell down his face, pulling her into a tight hug.

Suddenly, Cas spoke.

\- "The day we went to buy Sam and Dean's gifts, I realized I needed to buy you one, as well. I also already knew that you were expecting, so I asked for help to this little old lady and she recommended this."

Cas handed over the last gift. Emma's gift. Emma had told him not to worry about getting her a gift, that his presence there was all the gift she wanted, but he still felt the need to buy her something. Cas saw Emma opening the small box and the way her eyes wrinkled when she laughed at what was inside. The little old lady had told him that, when babies were little, mothers would often say that they were little angels, even when they weren't. So, she recommended a onesie that said in big and bold letters "I'm an angel".

The irony of the saying on the onesie didn't escape them, that's why they all laughed. Having an angel, an actual angel, give a onesie with that saying written in it, was funny to say the least. Emma took a look around. Dean had the biggest smile, already making plans with Sam and Cas for when the baby comes. Her eyes locked with Cas and all she could do was mouth a "Thank you", before more tears of happiness spilled from her eyes. This Christmas wouldn't be the same if he wasn't there to share the happiness that a baby always brought.


	9. Decorations (part 1)

**Prompt: Decorations (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Elizabeth had noticed. She wasn't oblivious at how much the moral of the members of the Atlantis expedition had sunk in the last few weeks. As the month of December began, the moral had declined. People knew that Christmas was coming and, for so many, this was going to be another Christmas spent away from their families or their first. Elizabeth knew that she needed to do something to boost the moral, one way or the other. After talking to Sheppard about it, she came up with an idea. An idea she would put into practice in her next check in with Earth.

The day came for the check in and she put her plan into action. Requesting a private conversation with General O'Neill, she knew it wouldn't take much to convince him, the problem was convincing the IOA.

\- "So, Weir, what do I owe the pleasure of a private conversation?"

\- "I need a favor, General."

\- "Is that so?"

\- "As you know, the holidays are upon us and I've noticed a decline in the expedition's moral. I was thinking if it would be possible for the SGC to send some decorations through the portal, with the rest of the supplies, so we could decorate the common areas of the city. I believe it would be a good boost in the moral and, therefore, increase productivity. It doesn't need to be a lot, just enough to give that homey feeling."

\- "I'll see what I can do. If I'm able to, I'll send them next week, on our next check in. The boxes will be labeled with your name, so they won't know what's inside."

\- "Sir, I know it will be a though sell to the IOA, but whatever you can send will be greatly appreciated."

\- "Don't worry about the IOA. I'll deal with them. Talk to you soon, Weir."

\- "Thank you, sir. Weir out." – O'Neill cut the wormhole on his end, ending the communication, leaving Elizabeth with the thought that if anyone can pull that off, it will be him. Now, it was a waiting game.

A week had passed and soon it was time for another check in with Earth. Dialing the gate, Elizabeth was slightly anxious to know if O'Neill had been able to get what she needed. The wormhole was established and she saw his grinning face in one of the gate room screens'.

\- "Greetings, Atlantis."

\- "General O'Neill, it's good to see you."

\- "Likewise, Elizabeth. We're ready to receive your data transmission." – Hearing that, Elizabeth gave the signal to start the transmission. – "While we wait for it to be complete, I have a team getting all the supplies you requested ready to send them through, once we're done, along with the team of Marines as Sheppard requested. Oh, and by the way, that thing you asked me for? I'm sending it as well, plus a few extras."

\- "Thank you, General. I promise it will be put to good use." – Elizabeth was ecstatic. She knew O'Neill was gonna do his best to help her, she was just worried that the IOA had given him a hard time about it. – "Did you get any trouble in getting it?"

\- "Nothing I can't handle." – O'Neill answered her with a chuckle.

\- "Dr. Weir? The transmission is done." – Chuck, one of the gate room's technicians, let her know.

\- "Thank you, Chuck. General, the transmission is complete. We'll end the wormhole on our end so you can dial."

\- "Sounds good. Talk soon."

The communication was ended and so was the wormhole. It took just a few seconds for the gate to be dialed in from Earth. Elizabeth saw a team of Marines walking through, the extra team that Sheppard had asked for, bringing with them the supplies she had requested, as well as the decorations. After saying her goodbyes to O'Neill, she went to inspect the boxes, quickly identifying the ones that O'Neill had send under her name and that weren't a part of the original cargo manifest.

She requested that those boxes to be taken to her quarters, while the others were taken to their respective departments. Now, she needed to put a team together to help her decorate the city. She started by enlisting the heads of each department plus their second in charge, including McKay, who wasn't so thrilled as the rest of them. She also enlisted Ronon and Teyla, one for his height and strength, the other for her eye for aesthetic.

They all worked through the night, splitting up in teams of three, trying to cover as much ground as possible before the sunrise. It went as well as it could possibly go and she couldn't wait to see everyone's reaction once they woke up and saw how festive the city looked. O'Neill had managed to not only send decorations for the common areas, but for the main hallways as well as the labs and gate room and even a small fake tree for her office.

They finished a few hours before the sun rose, allowing them to catch a few hours of sleep before getting ready for another day in Atlantis. "Let's hope everyone likes it.", Elizabeth thought, before falling asleep.


	10. Decorations (part 2)

**Prompt: Decorations (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Lauren) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Evan woke up that day feeling a bit blue. December was fast approaching and with it the holidays. For him, it would be another Christmas away from his family, his sister and his two nieces, but there was a silver lining. He was going to spend Christmas with Lauren.

They had been together for almost a year and this was going to be their first Christmas together. He already had gotten her her Christmas present, courtesy of Teyla. A beautiful necklace that he had asked Teyla to chose for him, on one of their many off-world missions. Teyla had impeccable taste for jewelry and Evan not so much, so it was only logical for him to enlist her help.

After getting ready, Evan left his quarters and the sight before him made him smile. The hallway where his quarters were situated, was decorated with Christmas decorations: garlands, ornaments, you name it, it was there. "Dr. Weir was busy last night.", he thought, smiling. Evan immediately decided that, after their respective shifts, he was gonna take Lauren on a walk through the city to admire the decorations.

The day moved painfully slow. One off-world mission and that was it. The rest of the time was spent sparring with the new Marines, teaching them all about the various threats that existed in that galaxy or patrolling the city, showing them around the city in the process. He almost punched one of the new Marines when he made a somewhat inappropriate comment about Lauren, while visiting the infirmary, but felt avenged when Ronon kicked his ass during sparring time. Turns out, Ronon heard it too and he knew that Evan couldn't just kick his ass, so he took it upon himself to do so.

Eventually, their shifts ended and, after changing, Evan made his way to Lauren's quarters. Knocking on the door, he was greeted by a smiling Lauren. Pulling her close, he kissed her passionately, feeling her reciprocate the kiss with as much emotion as he had put into it. Grabbing her hand, he told her that he had thought it would be a good idea to go see the decorations around the city. Sheppard had told him that, it wasn't just the hallways and the common areas that were decorated, so were all the labs. Lauren thought it would be nice to check them out and get into the holiday spirit.

Walking around the city, hand in hand, they started reminiscing on their childhood Christmas' and how and where they were spent. It was nice to find new things they had in common, such as their favorite Christmas traditions or their favorite Christmas foods. The city was beautifully decorated, with a lot of differences between the different locations. Some even had some improvised trees, made of the various tools that each team used. It was fun seeing the differences and guessing what each section would have on their makeshift tree's.

Evan couldn't stop looking at Lauren and falling even more in love with her. The way her eyes would light up at each different decoration was amazing to watch. It was like watching a child seeing it all for the first time and it filled his heart knowing that she was sharing that with him by her side.

In one of the many open balconies that existed around the city, they decided to take a break and rest a bit. While sitting there, Evan looked up and let out a chuckle. Just above them was a branch of mistletoe. Pointing it out to Lauren, he took her in his arms and kissed her, a peck on the lips at first, but that quickly evolved into a passionate make out session.

Suddenly, the doors to the balcony opened and in came Sheppard. They pulled away, Lauren blushing like mad and Evan chuckling at the situation. It wasn't like they were dating in secret, everyone knew about them, but they always made sure that they kept it respectful in front of everyone, specially Dr. Weir and Sheppard. Looking back at Sheppard, Evan saw him glancing at them and mouthing an "You're welcome." towards him, before apologizing and leaving, with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Once the doors closed behind him, they both laughed at the situation, with Lauren saying that Sheppard wasn't gonna let Evan forget about that anytime soon. He knew it was true but he didn't mind. He thought that he needed to properly thank Sheppard for the mistletoe and to ask him how he knew where to put it. Lauren got up and told him that she was getting hungry, so they decided to make their way to the mess hall.

Walking through the door at the mess hall, he saw Lauren getting stunned at how beautiful it looked. She didn't go there for lunch, instead asking someone to bring her her lunch to the infirmary, so, that was the first time she was seeing it. The mess hall was decorated in various shades of blue and silver, which tied in nicely with the ocean that could be seen just outside the glass windows. Evan got two trays for them, while she got a table, completely amazed at the décor and losing herself in it.

Evan couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in both galaxies, just because she had chosen to love him. In that moment, he knew he would do whatever it took to make her happy and safe.


	11. Tree (part 1)

**Prompt: Tree (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

Living in the country side had its advantages. It was far from the noise and craziness of the big cities, you made your own schedules, perfect to lay low after getting into some mischief and, come Christmas time, you could cut down your own tree, instead of buying it at an inflated price.

Clint was walking through the snow towards the line of pine trees that lined the edge of his property, a sharp axe on his shoulder and some rope on his waist. This was one of his favorite traditions, choosing the perfect tree and cutting it down. The smell of fresh pine needles would fill their house for the entirety of the holidays and he knew how much Alyssa loved that smell.

He had met Alyssa right after the battle of New York and fell head over heels for her. Natasha even had mocked him about it but he knew she loved Alyssa as much as he did. They had become the best of friends in a really short time (after Nat had made a full background check on her of course) and he couldn't be happier.

Memories flood his mind as he pushed through the snow: how they first met; when he asked her on a date; their first date; the subsequent months where they got to know each other; introducing her to Nat; Nat's blessing a la Godfather style; and the most important of all, when he asked her to move in with him into the farmhouse.

Clint was sure she was gonna put up a fight, after all, the farmhouse was in the middle of nowhere, but her reaction surprised him. And he wasn't easily surprised. She had agreed to move in with him, with only one condition: once a month, they would go on a date in the city. To say he was overjoyed, was an understatement, but he was also curious as to why she had agreed so easily.

That's when Alyssa told him that she had been raised in a small farm with her grandfather and that she had always planned to, one day, live in one again, just like when she was younger. She had a sweet smile on her face, remembering her grandfather and telling Clint about all the things she did growing up there. He couldn't help but to love her even more.

It has been three years since they got together and every year, on Christmas, he would cut a tree. She had mention by passing that it was something that her grandfather used to do, when they were getting to know each other and were talking about Christmas. Ever since then, Clint had made sure that he would cut a fresh tree, just for her. It was his way to honor her grandfather and for her to feel that he was still with her during the holidays.

Clint got to the trees and began his search. He had been there the week before and had marked one that he thought was perfect, now was just a matter of finding it again. He walked around for about thirty minutes before finding the one he wanted. "I don't remember it being so far away.", he thought, shrugging his shoulders.

Taking his jacket off and placing it on a branch from a nearby tree, he took a close look at the tree in order to choose what the best spot was to cut it down. He only needed the top of the tree, but he would use the rest either for firewood or for the various arts and crafts that Alyssa was doing.

Finally picking a spot, Clint positioned his feet and swung the axe, hitting the trunk of the tree with a swift and clean movement. Pieces of wood flew around him as he hit it again and again, thinning the trunk and making a clean cut on its base. It didn't take long for him to hear the unmistakable sound of wood cracking and to see the tree coming down.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he lowered the axe and walked over to see his work. It was a clean cut, as always. Pulling the rope from his waist, he made quick work in tying the tree up and into his axe. He was gonna use the axe as a puller to transport the tree more easily back to the house. Putting his jacket back on, he pulled the axe onto his shoulders and started pulling the tree.

Clint was getting closer to the house when he saw a figure out on the porch. He knew that silhouette anywhere in the world. Alyssa. There she was, leaning on one of the rails on the porch, a bright smile on her lips, waiting for him. He stopped for a second to catch his breath and to adjust the axe, thinking that he was lucky to have found someone like her and that he would do anything to make her happy.

As traditions go, this was definitely one of his favorites, but he knew that his favorite tradition began when he met Alyssa, and that that was never going to change.


	12. Tree (part 2)

**Prompt: Tree (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Clint Barton aka Hawkeye x OFC (Alyssa) / Fandom: Marvel**

Alyssa saw Clint getting closer to the house, dragging a pine tree behind him. She could see he was starting to feel tired, but if she was to point that out to him, he would just say that it was a good exercise and that he wasn't that tired. The closer he got to the house, the bigger her smile would get.

Clint had began cutting up a tree for Christmas the moment she had told him that that was something her grandfather used to do. They've been together for three years and that would be the third one they would spend together. Neither of them had any family left, so they started spending Christmas together from the get go.

Alyssa loved Clint with all her heart. In the beginning, it was trying. Never knowing when he would be around or when she was going to see him. His work didn't leave much space for a committed relationship, but they both were willing to work for it. She wasn't going to give up on him, the same way he wasn't going to give up on her. Now, looking at him at the base of the front porch steps, she was beyond sure they had made the right decision.

Clint climbed the steps and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her deeply. He tasted like salt and pine tree, a weird but nice combination. Pulling away from the kiss, they both just stood there, their foreheads touching each other's and just enjoying the warmth of their bodies. Alyssa had her arms around his neck, her hands playing with his hair, not wanting to let go.

Eventually, they pulled away and Clint went back down the steps, picking up the tree and dragging it to the side of the house in order to cut and trim the tree. Alyssa followed him, still on the porch, and just stood there watch him at work. Clint took care of the tree as quickly as he could and once the tree was just as he wanted, he took it inside and placed it in the support that Alyssa had made that was placed in the front room.

The house was filled with a mix of smells, two of them overpowering all the others and being the most identifiable by Clint: the smell of fresh baked cookies and the smell of pine tree. He knew Alyssa had been making cookies even before he got to the house, she always did, it was her side of the tradition.

Looking over at the couch, he saw the box that held all of the decorations they had made over the last three years, as well as those that were gifted to them by their friends. Kissing her quickly, he went upstairs and changed into clean clothes. They had work to do.

Alyssa took that moment to go and get a plate with some cookies and two glasses of milk. Walking back into the front room, she saw Clint already there and looking through the box. Decorating the tree always brought out the inner child in both of them and she loved the way Clint's eyes would light up and the way that he would smile just like a child.

Clint took the tinsel, the ribbons and the lights out and placed them on the couch, by the box. Alyssa grabbed the lights and started wrapping them around the tree. This way it would pop against the colors of the tinsel. Clint grabbed the plug and started untangling it so he could, once she was done, plug it in. Alyssa was quick with the lights, she knew exactly how she wanted them, so it didn't take long for her to be finish.

Clint got up from under the tree and walked to the couch, grabbing some tinsel and handing it to her, taking some himself. Between the two of them, the tree was looking really good and they still had the ornaments to put up. Grabbing two ornaments each, they began putting them up.

The entire time they were decorating the tree, Clint had been telling her jokes or funny stories about the Avengers. Alyssa felt like she had known them all of her life, even though she had never met any of them in person, aside from Natasha.

Soon, the tree was done and they took a step back to admire their work. The lights were on and it looked like little stars embedded in the branches. The only thing missing was their topper. The previous year, while attempting to put the tree topper, Clint had dropped it and it broke. Alyssa had made plans to replace it and make a new one, but she just never got around to do it and now their tree didn't have a topper.

Alyssa could tell that Clint felt like it was missing something. Looking around, she spotted a left-over piece of ribbon and had an idea. Kissing him, she excused herself and took the ribbon with her. Locking herself in the bathroom, she made a beautiful bow out of it. "It will have to do until I make a new one.", she thought.

Returning to Clint's side, she showed him the bow she had made and gave him a smile. Clint took a look at the bow and knew why she had made it. He always thought that a tree without a topper wasn't a tree, that's why it was so important to him. Pulling her into his arms, Clint kissed her and thanked her for making a new topper so quickly.

He picked her up by her legs and lifted her high enough so she could place the topper. Bringing her back down once she had done it, Clint pulled her close and kissed her deeply. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and pulling him more into her, so he did the same. There wasn't an inch of space between them, their bodies glued to each other, only breaking the kiss for the need to breath.

"This is going to be another great Christmas.", Clint thought, a smile on his lips, while losing himself in her eyes.


	13. Star (part 1)

**Prompt: Star (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

Usually, Christmas didn't mean much to Steve. Ever since he became Captain America that he had yet to have a normal Christmas, with all that came with it. But this year was different. This year he was going to spend it with someone he loved and cared about and he was determined to make it count.

With Christmas fast approaching, he had mentioned to Taylor, his girlfriend, that he hadn't celebrated Christmas in a while. Taylor then vowed to give him a Christmas to remember. They had already bought a fake tree and all the ornaments and tinsel necessary to decorate it. There was only one thing they didn't bought: a topper. They didn't seem to find one that both would like. So, there he was. Walking through the streets of New York city, going in to every store that had Christmas decorations for sale, looking for something.

Steve walked into another store and looked around. A young lady approached him and asked if she could help him with anything, he thanked her but said that he was just looking. He needed to do this by himself. Browsing through the vast selection on display, not really finding anything that would be something both would like.

He walked out of the store into the cold air of the city, not willing to give up but feeling somewhat defeated. This had to be the twentieth or thirtieth store he had gone in, only to come out empty handed. He was starting to lose hope that he would find something. Steve knew he still had time, after all, Christmas was still a few weeks away, but he wanted to find something so badly that he was slowly frustrating himself.

His phone rang. Checking the caller I.D., he saw that it was Sam calling.

\- "Hey, Sam."

\- "Hey, Cap. What you're up to?"

\- "Not much. Just walking around the city."

\- "Let me guess. You and Taylor haven't found the perfect tree topper and you're looking for one right now." – Steve could hear the slight mocking in his voice. Sam was well aware of their quest for the tree topper. Steve had gone to him in search of places to find it.

\- "What can I say? I want to make my girl happy and finding this thing will make her happy, so…"

\- "Dude, she would be happy if you were to give her a trash can lid for a topper. All she wants is to make sure you have a proper Christmas, not to see you stress out because of a freaking tree topper."

\- "I know. I just want to make sure this Christmas is great for her too." – Steve knew Sam was right. Taylor wouldn't want him worrying about this. This was supposed to be a fun thing, not a stressful one.

\- "Listen, if all else fails, you can always put your shield up there."

\- "Very funny, Sam." – Steve couldn't help but to imagine the idiotic idea and smile.

\- "Look, I just called to check in on you. Call me if you need help, alright?"

\- "Will do, Sam. Thanks." – With that, he heard Sam disconnect the call and pocketed his phone.

Adjusting his jacket, Steve decided that Sam was right. There was no point in stressing about it. They will find the perfect topper, one that they both like and that will mean something to them both. Until then, they would just have to keep searching.

Making his way back home, he couldn't help but to think about Taylor and how amazing she was. She was doing so much so he could have a great Christmas: she was searching for recipes of his favorite Christmas foods; she had given up on spending Christmas with her best friend and her family, something she did every year and that she truly enjoyed, to spend it with him, just the two of them.

He knew he had to make something special for her, if not during Christmas, then after, but definitely sometime soon. She was his shinning star, the one that guided him when he had doubts and fears. What a change a year can make when you're with someone that loves you, all of you, with all your flaws and imperfections.

She was definitely his lucky star and he wouldn't trade her for all the stars up above.


	14. Star (part 2)

**Prompt: Star (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Taylor) / Fandom: Marvel**

The day had come. The day to finally decorate the tree. Steve couldn't wait to start, his excitement making Taylor giggle and smile big. She knew how important this was to him, but she never thought he would be this excited. It was sweet to see a super soldier act like an oversized and on a sugar high child.

Steve had already brought the boxes with the decorations to the living room couch and Taylor was looking for the lights. Giving them to him, he quickly wrapped them around the tree and left the plug near the socket. Now, the fun part.

Taylor gave him some tinsel and took some for herself. She saw him place it very strategical around the tree, while she just went with what looked good to her. The more tinsel she gave Steve, the higher his concentration in making sure it looked perfect. Once the tinsel was over, they both took a step back and, embracing each other, watched their work so far.

Taylor then decided that he could have all the fun of putting up the ornaments. It was more fun for her to just watch him. Giving him the first two ornaments, she saw him place them perfectly spaced out from each other. Looking back at her with a grin, he pulled her close and kissed her. She kissed him back and placed another two ornaments in his hands. His smile was as big as the sun.

Taylor could feel herself falling even more in love with Steve by the second. He looked so happy just by decorating a tree, that was impossible not to feel just as happy. She saw Steve finish up the last of the ornaments and knew that it was time for the main attraction.

Taylor had found the perfect tree topper for them, in a little store filled with rustic things, and when she saw it, she knew it was perfect for them. Giving him a kiss, she excused herself and went to her bag to retrieve it. It was in a metal box and Taylor was now feeling nervous. "What if he doesn't like it?", she thought, her anxiety through the roof.

Placing the box in Steve's hands, Taylor gave him a smile, a kiss and a nod for him to open it. Steve opened the lid of the box and looked inside and his eyes went wide. Inside was a metal made, American flag painted, star topper for their tree. Steve looked at Taylor and she explained why she thought it was perfect for them. Not only represented him as Captain America but also his patriotism and all the people that he had lost in the name of our country and for her, it reminded her of him but of her grandfather as well, a veteran of the Marine Corps.

Steve put the box down on the coffee table and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her passionately. She was right, that was the perfect topper for them. Breaking the kiss, he picked the box back up, taking the star off of it and giving it to Taylor. She gave him a confused looked. That's when he told her that he wanted her to place the topper. She tried refusing, but he insisted. Taylor had no choice but to place the topper.

Grabbing her by her waist, Steve easily lifted her until she had the top of the tree at her reach. He saw her placing it very delicately and then brought her back down. There was only one thing left to do. Steve crouched behind the tree and plugged in the lights, making the tree come to life. Both took a step back and admired their work. It looked beautiful and the star at the top just made it look even better.

Steve put an arm around her shoulders and turned her to him, thanking her for everything she had been doing for him. Taylor kissed his lips sweetly and whispered "Everything for my man.", winking at him. He chuckled, but he knew that she meant it. The same way he would do everything for her. She was his girl and he was sure that she would always be.


	15. Ornaments (part 1)

**Prompt: Ornaments (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

He had no idea what Evelyn was thinking but he was sure she was up to something. Evelyn, Steve's girlfriend, had asked him, just the day before, to go out and buy plain ornaments, it didn't matter the color, just that they were plain. Bucky was certain that she was up to something, if the grin she gave him when he asked was any indication.

Bucky still wasn't sure why she had asked him, of all people, to do it. He was sure it would be a lot safer for everyone if Steve was the one doing the shopping. After all, Bucky didn't do very well in crowds and this time of the year, every where he would go, seemed to be filled with them. However, Evelyn had been adamant, it had to be Bucky. He even tried convincing Steve to go in his place but Steve declined, saying that it would be good for him to interact with people who weren't Steve, Evelyn or the Avengers. He growled in annoyance, he really didn't want to go.

But, now, he was determined to get this mission done. Evelyn had told him that she believed in him and that she knew he could do it without any incidents. Hearing that, gave him a boost in his confidence, so he told Evelyn that he was gonna do it, so now he had to do it. And the only way he could do this was to face it as a mission and so far, so good.

Walking into a store, he immediately regretted it. The store had a lot more people than what he was expecting, but there was no turning back now. Making his way inside the store, he caught in the corner of his eye exactly what he was looking for. "That was easy.", he thought, a sigh of relief leaving his body, knowing he wasn't going to have to be there longer than necessary.

Bucky picked up a few boxes of twelve ornaments each, he didn't know how many Evelyn wanted and he wasn't about to call her to find out, all he wanted was to get out of there. Moving to the front of the store, he walked up to the cashier and gave her the boxes. She smiled brightly at him and started scanning the ornaments. The girl attempted to joke with him, but his anxiety was hitting new heights and all he wanted was to get out of there. "Why is she making me this nervous? What the actual hell?", he thought, confused at his own reaction.

She finished ringing up the items and told him his final amount. Bucky grabbed his wallet and pulled out enough money to cover the bill, grabbing the bags and rushing out the door, leaving a stunned cashier behind. Again, he had no idea what Evelyn was planning, but he was sure he was gonna make her pay for making him go shopping with that many people around.

Making his way back home, Bucky couldn't help but to think that maybe Evelyn had been on to something. After all, he just went shopping and didn't kill anyone in the process. Maybe that's what Evelyn wanted, to push him to do something that was out of his comfort zone and see how he handled. Sure, it could have gone spectacularly wrong, but just by knowing that she trusted him enough to send him into a store with other people, made his resolve of keeping it together even bigger.

Evelyn always saw the best in him. She didn't care about what he had done as the Winter Soldier, after all, she didn't know him then. All she cared about was who he was now and how she could help him become the best version of himself. She treated him like he was her brother and he quickly began treating her as if she was his little sister. Steve had felt that side of their relationship, one time when he and Evelyn fought and Bucky saw her crying. Bucky asked her what had happened and when she told him that she and Steve had a fight because of Steve's jealousy, Bucky didn't think, he went straight to Steve's, ready to kick his ass. Evelyn had become family to him and no one hurts his family.

That's why when she asked him to buy the freaking ornaments, he was nervous at first, but he knew that she wasn't gonna let him get out of it. So, that's where he was, a bag filled with ornaments in his hand that he had no idea what they were for, they had plenty of ornaments to decorate their tree, going back home where he knew that Evelyn and Steve would be waiting for him to have dinner.

For an outsider, it would look like a weird arrangement but it worked for them. They were all family and a happy one, for sure.


	16. Ornaments (part 2)

**Prompt: Ornaments (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Evelyn) / Fandom: Marvel**

Steve found himself confused as he walked in his apartment and there were paint brushes, paint, colored markers and newspaper on the dining room table. Calling out for Evelyn, he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to why all those things were placed there. She appeared next to him, wearing old jeans and an old work shirt. Kissing him sweetly, she asked him how his day had been.

Steve told her that it went fine, but he wanted to know what was going on, pointing towards the dining room. Her answer was simple: once Bucky got home, he would know. She told him to go change and that she had already set out his clothes on the bed.

He kissed her again and made his way to their bedroom, still unsure of what was going on. While changing, he heard Bucky get home and be told the same thing that he was told. Evelyn was definitely up to something, but knowing her, he was confident that, whatever it was, it would be worth all the secrets.

Steve bumped into Bucky in the hallway and, after greeting each other, they both made their way back into the living room where Evelyn was waiting for them. When they got there, she gave them both a smile and lead them into the dining room.

\- "Okay, so. This year I thought it would be fun to make our own ornaments and add them to the tree. It's something I used to do with my grandfather and it's really fun. You can make as many as you like. And if you want, we can even make some to offer our closest friends. What do you say, boys?" – Steve couldn't help but smile at her. It was a sweet and different idea, and he definitely liked it.

\- "I think is a great idea, sweetheart." – Steve said, kissing her cheek and looking back at Bucky, who looked like his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

\- "You're telling me I went out to a store filled with people to buy ornaments just so I can paint them?" – Evelyn got nervous. It wasn't her intention to upset Bucky, but she thought she could kill two birds with one stone: have him talk to other people and get the ornaments she needed for their little activity. She saw Steve scowl at him, almost as if warning him to be careful with his next words.

\- "Look, Bucky, I needed the ornaments and I also wanted to get you out of your comfort zone and get you out into the world. I'm sorry if I upset you."

\- "I just… I'm sorry for freaking out, Eve. I just wasn't expecting it. But Steve's right, it sounds like a great idea and actually quite fun." – Bucky felt bad instantly. He hated seeing Evelyn sad and he knew if he didn't like the idea that that would had made her sad. But he really thought that Steve was right, so why not give it a try.

Steve saw Evelyn walking around the table and pull Bucky into a tight hug. It always amazed him how she was the only person, aside from him, that could do that without Bucky feeling uncomfortable because of his arm. Other people had tried hugging him, but they would quickly end that hug once they felt how uncomfortable he was.

Taking their seats at their sides of the table, they spread the newspaper on the table in front of them. Pulling two ornaments from a box, Evelyn handed them to the boys and told them that they could be as creative as they wanted or play it safe. It was up to them. She opened the paints and gave each one a set of paint brushes and a set of colored markers, and left them to their own devices, kissing Bucky on the top of his head and a quick peck on the lips of Steve.

Leaving the boys, Evelyn went to the kitchen to take care of dinner. She could hear them laughing and going back and forth with ideas for their respective ornaments. She could tell they were having fun, specially Bucky, and that filled her heart with love for the both of them.

Dinner was ready by the time Evelyn went back to the dining room and the sight in front of her made her laugh out loud. They had just finished their ornaments but she wasn't sure what had more paint: the ornaments or the boys. Steve had paint on his face and hands, as well as his shirt, and Bucky had paint all over his metal arm and clothes.

They were both laughing like mad when they noticed Evelyn in the kitchen doorway and, with a quick glance at each other, they knew what to do. Standing up at the same time, they both started walking towards her. They could see her eyes darting between them and around the room, trying to find an escape to what was to come. Only there was no escape.

Bucky was the first to reach her and grabbed her by her arms. Evelyn tried getting him off of her but to no avail. That's when she saw what Steve had in his hand: a paint brush with red paint on it. Steve was getting closer and closer and she knew she was done. With a flick of his wrist, he painted her cheeks red and they all started laughing like mad.

After a while, once they all calmed down, Evelyn asked them what they had painted. Steve went first. Pointing at his, still drying, ornament, he explained that he chose the American flag because it represented him, as well as their love for the armed forces. Evelyn kissed him sweetly and said that it looked perfect. Then, it was Bucky's turn.

Bucky felt a bit self-conscious, but went ahead and showed her his ornament. It was basically his arm, with the star, in the shape of an ornament. He told her that he chose to paint it like that because she was always telling him to be proud of his arm and that the arm didn't define him, so, he thought it was about time he would listen. Evelyn could feel the tears prickle in her eyes. She wrapped him in a tight hug and he hugged her back. He knew how much it meant to her that he was finally listening to her.

Breaking the hug, she swiped a tear that was threatening to escape and told them that both ornaments looked beautiful and that once they were dried, they would add them to their tree. That's when Bucky surprised her. Bucky asked her if, after dinner, they could paint a few more, maybe even one for each of the Avengers, but they wanted her to paint with them. Evelyn looked over to Steve and saw him nodding, saying that he wanted that too. She agreed, a huge smile on her lips.

Telling the boys to go clean up, she went back to the kitchen and started preparing their plates. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms snaking around her waist and a chin resting on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Steve. Turning her head to him, he kissed her sweetly and thanked her for what she was doing for Bucky. She kissed him again and told him that he was her "brother" and she would do whatever it took to see him happy and confident.

Kissing her cheek, Steve left. Passing through the dinning room, he glanced at the ornaments. "A great idea, indeed.", he thought, a smile on his lips.


	17. Stockings (part 1)

**Prompt: Stockings (part 1)**

 **Pairing** **: N/A / Fandom: Supernatural**

Christmas was just around the corner and, with this being Jack's first Christmas, Sam had decided that they would go all out and celebrate it properly. At first, he found some resistance coming from both Dean and Castiel: Dean thought it was pointless celebrating Christmas, because, in his words, "Hunters don't celebrate Christmas, Sammy.", and Castiel, being an angel, didn't celebrate Christmas. The only one on his side was his girlfriend, Lexi, who agreed it was a good idea and helped him convince the older Winchester and the Angel of the Lord that it was good for Jack to experience Christmas, that it was something his mother would like.

As soon as everyone was on board with the idea, Sam had been busy getting everything needed to decorate the bunker, from ornaments to getting a real tree, he even had already bought all the gifts. There was only one thing missing: the stockings. It was something that he knew they had to have. Sure, they didn't have an actual fireplace to hang them off of, but Sam had already thought of an alternative.

Sam knew he wanted personalized stockings for each one and he also knew that the hardest one to find was going to be Cas' name, so, instead, he decided to look for someone online who could sow his name on a stocking. Making a quick search online, he found an Etsy page that specialized in sowing names in things. Messaging the owner, he placed his order and was told that it would be ready in two weeks. That time of the year was a really busy time for her, but she would be able to send him the stockings in two weeks, with no delay. Now, all he had to do was wait.

Two weeks passed a lot faster than Sam was expecting. He almost forgot about it, since they had been busy with hunts after hunts. Driving into town, he went to pick up the package at the local post office where they had a postal box. Sam couldn't wait to see how they had come out.

Arriving at the bunker, he walked into the library and placed the package on the table. He was alone in the bunker, with Cas and Jack off with Lexi to buy some Christmas presents and Dean going grocery shopping, not only for the week but also a few things for the Christmas Eve dinner.

After Lexi had convinced Dean that it was a good idea to celebrate Christmas for Jack's sake, he had taken upon himself to cook Christmas Eve dinner, as well as a few traditional desserts that he remembered their mother making. Sam didn't know what to make of it, but he was happy that his brother was getting into the Christmas spirit. Dean was going as far as teaching Jack how to cook them, so in the future, if he wanted to, he could cook them himself.

Opening the box and removing the loose paper, he looked in and saw five red stockings with their names beautifully sowed in, in white lettering, almost as if they had been drawn on. They looked beautiful.

Moving to the back of the library, he took a look at the small space that was gonna be their Christmas corner, like Lexi had said. It was in the little corner where the armchairs were that he had decided to put the tree up. Jack helped him decorate it, as well as the rest of the bunker, and Sam had decided that he was gonna use those back shelves as the hanging place for the stockings.

Grabbing the hammer and a few nails from one of the storage rooms nearby, he returned to the library only to find that everyone had already returned and were now admiring their respective stocking. He could see in Jack's face that he loved it and that meant everything to him, after all, he was doing all of that, mostly, for him.

Walking over to them, Sam asked Jack if he wanted to help him hang the stockings up. Jack agreed and they both moved to the back of the library while Cas, Lexi and Dean watched them, with smiles on their faces. Sam taught Jack how to hammer correctly and how not to hurt himself doing so. It took a bit longer than normally would, but Jack was enjoying it, so no one cared.

Once the stockings were up, they all stood there and looked at their little corner and smiled. It looked beautiful, with the tree completely decorated and the stockings hanging just above them on the shelves, with lights sparkling all around. That's when Lexi handed Sam something that was gonna make that Christmas one to remember.


	18. Stockings (part 2)

**Prompt: Stockings (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Sam Winchester x OFC (Lexi) / Fandom: Supernatural**

When Sam approached them with the idea of celebrating Christmas because of Jack, she thought it was a great idea. After all, it was Jack's first Christmas and he deserved to experience it, after all that he had been through. Lexi knew it was a tough sell to Dean and Castiel, but once she explained to them that Jack's mother would want that for him, they agreed.

Lexi saw Sam taking charge and take upon himself the mission of getting everything perfect for Jack and that just confirmed what she already knew: that Sam was an amazing man. She tried helping him, but he was determined to do it on his own, besides it was his idea and he didn't want to burden anyone with what needed to be done.

She knew that he would include Jack at some point, like with choosing a tree and decorating it, or decorating the bunker. And she had to admit, the kid was good. He knew exactly where he wanted certain decorations and that just made her heart burst with pride.

Lexi knew it couldn't be easy for Jack to be without his mom, so she did all she could to help him, to the point of becoming like a second mom to him, standing up for him and protecting him, just like Kelly would've done. She only met Jack's mother briefly, but she saw how much Kelly already loved him and how much she wanted to protect him.

As the time went by, she started noticing that everyone was getting into the Christmas spirit. Castiel was researching what the traditions were, Dean was focused on making the food and desserts and teaching Jack how to make them as well and then there was Sam, making sure he had everything just right.

Then one day, completely out of the blue, Cas and Jack came to her, asking if she could go with them into town so they could buy their Christmas presents for everyone. She was surprised that they would ask her and not Dean, but they told her that they thought that she could actually help them, instead of giving them suggestions for prank presents. Lexi couldn't help but laugh. "Yep, that sounds like Dean alright.", she thought, still laughing. She agreed, besides she needed to buy her presents as well.

The entire ride into town, Lexi could feel their eyes on her. She knew what they had picked up on, but she simply told them to just leave it alone, for now. They smiled at her and agreed. Trying to change the subject, she asked them if they had anything in mind as far as presents go and was rewarded with blank expressions in return. She chuckled and told them not to worry, that she was sure they would find something.

They must've gone into every store in town, trying to find something for everyone. Lexi already had hers, all wrapped up and sitting safe in the trunk of their car, plus a special one. Eventually, Cas and Jack found what they were looking for. As they're making their way back to the car, Cas and Jack told her they still had one stop to make and that she could just wait for them in the car, that they wouldn't take long. Lexi wasn't a fan of letting them walk around town on their own. She knew they could take care of themselves but there were so many things that could go wrong, that she didn't like leaving them alone. But Cas reassured her that they would be quick, so she agreed.

Twenty minutes later, they reappeared with a couple more presents. Cas and Jack stored them in the trunk and got in the car. Lexi started the car and soon they were returning to the bunker. She tried asking them what were those presents but they just shrugged and didn't say anything. "They're up to something.", she thought, not sure if she wanted to know exactly what it was.

They got to bunker at the same time as Dean and, after they helped him put the groceries away, they walked together to the library. On the table, they found a box with stockings in it. Looking them over, Lexi gave each one their respective stocking so they could see them. They were beautiful and had their names sowed on the top. "I'm glad I kept it with me.", she thought, remembering the special present she got earlier.

She heard Sam coming into the library and walked over to him, kissing him when she reached him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back. They were interrupted by Dean teasing them to get a room and Jack's chuckle. Breaking apart, that's when Lexi saw that Sam had a hammer and some nails in his hands. She knew what they were for.

Sam called Jack over and asked him if he wanted to help him hang the stockings up. She looked over at Jack and saw a beaming smile as he said that he would like that. Lexi saw Sam teaching Jack how to hammer safely and couldn't help but smile at the sight before her.

They took their time and when they were done, everyone just stood there admiring their little corner. Lexi snaked her arm around Sam's waist and felt him kiss the top of her head. She loved him so much and knew that nothing could ruin that happiness.

That's when Lexi decided to give Sam that special present she had gotten earlier. Pulling it out of her jacket pocket, she handed it to him and waited. In his hand was a child size stocking, with "baby" written on the top. She looked up at Sam's face and saw that he was wide eyed looking at it, tears already polling in them.

Sam slowly turned his head towards her and asked her if she was serious. For a second, she was afraid that he was gonna be upset, but when she nodded affirmatively, he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, kissing her passionately. Tears mixed in the kissed and she realized that it wasn't just his tears but hers as well.

Lexi heard Dean asking what was happening and Cas telling him that she was pregnant. Dean gasped and soon she felt a second pair of arms wrapping themselves around her and Sam. Sam put her down and she was whisked away into Dean's arms. When he finally released her, she saw him hugging his baby brother. That brought tears to her eyes again. Looking at Cas and Jack standing on the side, just looking over at them, she called them over and told them that they were right and that they were going to be uncles as well, just like Dean, before pulling both into a tight hug.

Suddenly, Lexi felt herself in the middle of a tight group hug, since Sam and Dean had decided to join in. Eventually, they ended the hug, everyone still laughing with happiness at the news. Sam pulled her close to him again and kissed her, whispering an "I love you" and rubbing her belly, before breaking away to hang the little stocking next to the others.

Seeing it up there with the others just confirmed what she already knew: they were a family and she couldn't be happier. She knew that that baby was gonna be spoiled and protected by this mix-matched family and that thought filled her heart. After all, family doesn't end with blood.


	19. Lights (part 1)

**Prompt: Lights (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

Christmas always had a bitter taste for Tony. It was around this time that his parents had died and he always did everything in his power to mask his pain by throwing outrageous Christmas parties. But since Adele came into his life, he learned that he didn't need to do that.

He had learned how to deal with the pain and how to honor his parents during that time of year, by doing charity and truly grieving his parents passing. He had been able to come to terms with what had happened, even going as far as forgiving their killer, all thanks to Adele. She was his light in the darkness, a light he didn't know he desperately needed.

Looking out from the rooftop of Stark Tower into the city lights, he thought of how much different Christmas was for him now. Before, he would have a room filled with strangers being obnoxious, talking too loudly and with him being drunk out of his mind, all to try and forget the pain he had inside. Now, he had a room filled with Avengers, still talking too loudly but was mixed with laughter and he was as sober as a priest.

What a difference a few years can make. Never in a million years would he have thought that this would be his life, fighting evil and having super soldiers or a Norse God as some of his closest and best friends. Not to mention the beautiful and down to earth woman he called his.

He had met Adele after the Battle of New York, while going around the city assessing what needed to be recovered and fixed, after their little fight with Loki. She was down on the streets, helping people clean debris from their stores and helping anyone that needed help. He saw her struggling with a piece of plywood and went to help her. She thanked him and moved on to the next piece of debris. She didn't even bat an eye at him, the mighty Tony Stark.

At first, he thought that maybe she didn't recognize him and tried to get her attention again. Let's not forget that he was a cocky bastard back then. But she didn't care about his status or name, all she cared about was how could she help everyone around her.

Tony began going more often to the streets to help with the clean up efforts and always choosing were she would be. He was the first to admit that, in the beginning, it was for completely selfish reasons but the more he spent time cleaning up the mess he and the rest of the Avengers had made, the more he realized that he was actually enjoying it.

Time went by and she started noticing him, not for who he was but for what he was doing. Eventually, he asked her out to coffee, only to be shut down. She told him that she didn't go out on dates with playboys and if he ever changed his ways, then maybe she would consider it.

It took almost two years for her to accept going on a date with him. It was around Christmas and she teased him saying that it was her good deed for Christmas. They had coffee on a small coffee shop that they both had helped clean up of debris. She didn't ask him the usual questions: what it was like to be Iron Man or who which Avenger was single. She asked him questions like what was his favorite color or his favorite movie. It was refreshing.

About a week later, Tony took her to the rooftop where he was standing now and they had a romantic dinner under the stars. That's where they also had their first kiss, with snow starting to fall around them. He would never forget that night. The night that he became more than just the Tony Stark or Iron Man. He became Tony, her Tony.

They have been together through hell and back. In the two years they've been together, they've seen it all, from Bucky coming back from the dead to robots coming to life, but she stuck by his side through it all. Even when she almost died at Ultron's robotic hands, her love for him never wavered. That's why, just a few months before, he had asked her to marry him. Tony knew that he would never find someone like her, ever again.

The lights of the city never looked brighter, as Tony remembered how much his life has changed since he met her. But he also knew that, no light was as bright as Adele's. And he was eternally grateful for that.


	20. Lights (part 2)

**Prompt: Lights (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Tony Stark x OFC (Adele) / Fandom: Marvel**

Tony was standing on the rooftop of Stark Tower watching the city lights. He needed to be alone for a moment, away from everyone, just a moment for himself, when someone walked out to the roof.

\- "There you are. I figured I'd find you here." – Tony smiled and turned towards the voice behind him. The voice belonged to the women he was so deeply in love with, his fiancé Adele.

\- "Sorry, love. I needed some fresh air. They can be a rowdy bunch." – Tony said and saw Adele smile. She had to agree with him. When you get all the Avengers in the same room, plus food and alcohol, from both Earth and Asgard, courtesy of Thor, they could get extremely loud.

\- "You've been here for a while now. Everything's okay?" – Tony heard the concern on her voice. He must've been up there longer than he realized.

\- "Do you remember the first time I brought you up here?"

\- "Of course. You had prepared a romantic dinner and we had our first kiss, while snow fell around us. It was almost as if you had turned the snow on just for that moment. This roof will always have a special place in my heart, not just because of that but because this is where you proposed as well." – Adele answered him, snaking her arms around his neck and feeling him doing the same around her waist.

\- "It's definitely a place with a lot of memories."

Tony leaned in and kissed her sweetly, feeling her kissing him back. Breaking the kiss, she snuggled into his arms. He pulled her close and just stood there, with her in his arms, looking at the lights.

Adele always had this effect on him. With just a few words, she was able to calm him and to restore his faith in life and in love. No matter how bad things got, she was always able to see the light in the darkness. Even when she almost died at Ultron's hands, she was able to see the best in the situation, telling him that now she had a scar to match his and that now he had an extra incentive to end whatever it was that Ultron was up to. She wasn't wrong. Seeing her hurt and bleeding, made his resolve to end Ultron that much stronger.

\- "Tony? I want to ask you something." – He was pulled out of his thoughts by her voice.

\- "What is it? You know you can ask me anything, love."

\- "I know we haven't talked much about it but… I was wondering if you would want kids. Not right now, but eventually. We never really talked about it and I want to know what you think about it." – Tony could see the redness in her cheeks.

She was right. They had never really talked about it. They would see a cute kid on the street and they would both make a remark about him, but that was about it. He could tell that this was important to her and now that he really thought about it, he realized it was important to him as well.

\- "In the past, I always said that I didn't want any kids. I was too afraid to have them and then turn into my father. I couldn't go through that and put any kid through that as well. So, I always convinced myself that it would be best if the Stark lineage ended with me. But now…"

\- "Now?" – Adele could see his eyes glistening with tears and she was sure her eyes must've looked exactly the same.

\- "Now, I can't imagine a future without them. Little mini Tony's and mini Adele's running around the house, their tiny footsteps echoing all around. Just the thought makes my heart burst. That doesn't mean that I'm no longer afraid, I am. But now I have someone who brings out the best in me and makes me want to be the best version of myself possible. So, yes, my love, I want kids, as many as possible, as long as it's with you."

Tears were streaming down both their cheeks. Adele kissed him sweetly and deeply, making a silent promise to help him be the best father he could possibly be, feeling him kissing her back. Breaking the kiss, they looked into each other's eyes and stood like that for what felt like an eternity.

Friday's voice interrupted them, saying that Thor was being his usual loud and drunkenly self, almost breaking a glass coffee table. Tony and Adele couldn't help but laugh. They knew they had to get back before Thor destroyed the tower. Taking a last look out into the city lights, they both made their way back into the tower, holding hands.

Tony knew that, now that they had this conversation, things were about to change and he couldn't help but smile.


	21. Childhood Memories (part 1)

**Prompt: Childhood Memories (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Arrow**

Oliver walked into the living room to find Thea sitting there watching some Christmas show he had never heard about.

\- "Can't sleep?"

\- "Nope. You?" – Thea answered, looking up to her big brother and smiled.

\- "Nope."

Oliver sat down by her side on the couch and tried make some sense of the show. He gave up after a few minutes. Turning towards Thea, he just stared at her, waiting for her to notice him.

\- "You're creeping me out, Oli." – she said, her eyes never leaving the tv. He was relentless. Oliver knew that, eventually, Thea would give up on ignoring him. – "Okay, I'll bite. What?"

\- "Nothing." – Oliver turned to the tv and pretended to watch the show. This was something they used to do when they were kids to mess with each other. Just stare at the other and then pretend nothing was going on. It drove them crazy, but it was so much fun to do, that they still did it all the time.

\- "Oh, no. Nope. We're not doing that. We're not little kids anymore, Oli."

\- "I don't know what you're talking about, speedy."

\- "Right, like I'm gonna believe that." – Thea said, glaring at her brother.

Oliver turned, once more, towards Thea and glared back at her. It soon turned into a staring contest, none of them willing to break eye contact first. They were both stubborn, it ran in the family, and they had been doing that for years, so it was a safe bet that they were both determined not to lose.

It took about 10 minutes, before they burst out laughing, to the point they could barely breathe.

\- "God, I don't remember the last time I laughed this hard." – Thea said, still catching her breath.

\- "Me neither. Remember when we did this at one of dad's business dinners? He got so pissed at us, but in the end it actually helped." – Oliver replied, laughing again.

\- "If I remember correctly, you were the one who started that one too. I thought we were gonna be grounded for life, after that one."

\- "I'll be right back." – Oliver said, before leaving the room. Thea knew he was up to something, just by the grin on his lips.

Returning shortly after, Oliver sat down by her side, his legs crisscrossed in front of him, hiding something behind his back.

\- "Remember this?" – He said, showing her two candy canes. Thea smiled big. She remembered.

When they were little, as soon as December started, there was always candy canes spread around the house and decorating the tree. Everyday, after school, they would grab two, sit on the couch and would challenge each other, seeing who could eat the candy cane the fastest, just by licking it. Thea would cheat every once in a while, mostly because she knew Oliver would win if she didn't.

\- "Really? You wanna go there?" – She asked, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.

\- "Let's go, speedy. Or you're too afraid you're gonna lose?"

\- "Oh, it's on. Whoever wins, has to buy dinner. Deal?"

\- "Deal." – Oliver answered, getting ready to start. Counting down from three with his fingers, they started licking the candy cane as quickly as they both could. Oliver could tell that Thea was determined to not let him win, but so was he.

Looking back, this had to be one of his favorite childhood memories. Candy cane competitions, staring contests, snowball fights, making snow angels, those were his favorite memories. Memories of when their life was simple and free of all the craziness that seemed to rule their lives now.

Oliver was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realized that Thea was about to win. By the time he noticed it was too late. She had finished her candy cane.

\- "Ah, ah. I won. Finally."

\- "Yeah, yeah. I bet you cheated."

\- "You're a sore loser, Oliver Queen. Now, where are you taking me to dinner tomorrow?"

Thea had a smug look on her face and was laughing and dancing. Oliver couldn't help but laugh as well, seeing his baby sister doing her "winner dance" and taunting him. Thea had become a beautiful and strong young woman, but seeing her like this, acting like the kid he remembered from before the wreckage, was a more than welcomed sight.

It was memories like this, and of them as little kids, that kept him going on the island, making him determined to return home, at any cost. The little kids are now long gone but the memories they made, those, well, those would last forever.


	22. Childhood Memories (part 2)

**Prompt: Childhood Memories (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Oliver Queen x OFC (Karen) / Fandom: Arrow**

It was a cold December day. Oliver and Karen were up in his room, siting in front of the fireplace, talking and laughing. Oliver couldn't help, but to, every once in a while, stare at Karen. They had been together for almost a year, but it felt a lot longer. They had met through Diggle, Karen was a close friend of his and he had thought that her and Oliver would make a cute couple. After giving him the "you hurt her, I hurt you" talk, even Diggle was surprised to see how great they were together.

Oliver was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realized that Karen was staring at him, waiting for an answer. She had just asked him what his favorite part of Christmas was and when she didn't get a response, she just stared at him, waiting. Pulling him back to reality, by waving her hand in front of him, she asked him if he was okay. Oliver just nodded and kissed her.

After asking her to repeat the question, he went on to tell her that his favorite memories were the ones of when he and Thea were little. He told her about their staring contests, the candy cane competitions, the snowball fights and making snow angels in the backyard. He had a smile on his lips while remembering all of them and he knew that he would give anything to go back to that time.

Then, it was Karen's turn. She told him how she was raised by her grandfather and grew up in a small farm. How she used to make popcorn garlands and how only half of the popcorns would end up in a garland, since she would eat the other half, something that used to drive her grandfather crazy. She told him how her grandfather would cut a fresh pine tree for their Christmas tree every year and how she loved the smell of fresh pine tree that would fill the house.

She told him that her grandfather would let her decorate the little farm house any way she wanted and that, one year, she even decorated the stables, putting a hair band with antlers on it, in one of the horses. She told him how she would paint one ornament every year and put it up on the tree and that her grandfather would paint one as well. Those were the best memories she had of her childhood, memories from a time where everything was simple, a time before everything became complicated and dark.

Oliver saw tears in her eyes. It was clear to see that she missed him immensely and that that time of the year was hard for her, because of it. Pulling her closer to him, he wrapped his arms around her and felt her tears soak his buttoned shirt. He told her that he was sure that her grandfather was looking down on her and that he would be proud of her, of the woman she had become.

Karen slightly pulled away and looked up at him, thanking him. Oliver leaned down and kissed her sweetly, feeling her kissing him back. His hands stayed wrapped around her, as they both deepened the kiss. Breaking away so they could catch their breath, they sat there, in each other's arms, until Oliver had an idea.

Standing up, Oliver told Karen to just wait there for him, that he would be right back. Oliver left, leaving Karen on the couch, wrapped in a cozy blanket, watching the fire burn through the wood logs and warming the room. She had no idea what he was going to do but she knew that, whatever it was, it was meant to cheer her up. Oliver always did that, whenever she was feeling sad, he would come up with something to make her feel better and it never failed to work. She loved him for that.

Karen saw Oliver return to the room, after a few long minutes, hiding something behind his back. When Oliver got close enough to the couch, she saw what it was he was hiding. On one hand he had a bowl filled with popcorn and on the other a couple of spools and two needles. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips when she realized what he was planning.

Sitting down next to her, Oliver took a thread and slid it through one of the needles, giving it to her and then doing the same for himself. Taking a popcorn from the bowl, he poked it with the needle until it was completely through and the line was on the popcorn, therefore placing the first popcorn in his to-be garland. Karen followed his lead and did the same thing.

Half way through it, Oliver looked back at her and saw her smiling at the memories that, no doubt, were coming back to her. He smiled and gave her a kiss on the side of her head, whispering an "I love you" at the same time. Karen turned to him, kissing him sweetly and answered back with an "I love you" of her own.

They spent the rest of the night making popcorn garlands and telling stories of when they were little, laughing at some of the crazy things that they would sometimes do. Oliver could tell that she was feeling better and that made him smile even wider. All he wanted was for Karen to be happy and safe and he would do whatever it took to make sure that she was.


	23. Christmas Past (part 1)

**Prompt: Christmas Past (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Arrow**

It was that time of the year, yet again. The streets, the store fronts, even the lobby of his company, it was all decorated with Christmas decorations, a constant reminder that Christmas was fast approaching. For Oliver, it was a bitter sweet season. On one hand, he now had an amazing girlfriend, Brianna, by his side, someone he could fully trust and that has helped him in more ways than one, especially during that time of the year. On the other hand, it still reminded him of his father and of how much he loved Christmas.

He remembered when he first came back. How it seemed that no one cared about Christmas. At first, when he had asked Thea why there were no decorations or a Christmas tree in the house, she had told him that it was just because everyone was busy with the company and with bringing him back to the world of the living, legally speaking. But, after pressing a little, Thea eventually told him that it was because they had stopped celebrating it since his and their father's disappearance.

That's when Oliver had made a decision, he was gonna bring back Christmas to the Queen household. He knew that convincing his mother and Thea would be tricky, but he knew how to do it. Walter was the easiest one. Besides, he thought that it would be a good thing to help them get close again, to help them become a family again.

Surprisingly enough, convincing his mother wasn't as complicated as he predicted, it was Thea that wasn't completely on board with the idea. He knew he would have to talk to her about it, to try and understand why. Unfortunely, planning a big Christmas party and being the man in the hood, didn't leave him enough time to do so.

The day of the party had come and everyone looked amazing. He walked around the room and found his mother, Thea and Walter all together and decided to ask them to take a picture together, just for them. He could tell that there was some tension between Walter and his mother, but he thought that it was between them. Thea also looked slightly annoyed, her mood only changing when her newest boyfriend showed up.

After checking in with Diggle, he decided that that was a good time to go talk to Thea. Leaving everyone in the party, Oliver walked towards his sister bedroom. Not bothering with knocking, he opened the door and found Thea with her boyfriend, both close to be half naked. He, quickly and with a glare, kicked the boy out. That's when Thea unleashed her anger at him.

She yelled at him, saying that it wasn't because he was throwing a big party that things could go back to where they were before he and their dad disappeared, before storming out. Oliver knew that she was right, no matter how hard it was for him to admit. It took him almost being killed by the Dark Archer, for them to realized that they needed to start accepting each other for who they were in that moment and not for who they were before he disappeared.

His first Christmas back was complicated, to say the least, but it brought with it what he actually wanted: his family. Things began changing, once they agreed to start accepting each other more, and now, four years later, things were a lot better.

He and Thea were a lot closer, to the point where she was part of his team to protect the city. He found someone who cares about him and loves him, all of him, no matter what. And he saw his baby sister bond with Brianna in a way that he had never seen her do before.

Things were better now, definitely, but he knew things didn't always last and he was ready for when things would go south. Until then, he was gonna enjoy the holidays with the people he loved and not worry about what he can't control.


	24. Christmas Past (part 2)

**Prompt: Christmas Past (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Oliver Queen x OFC (Brianna) / Fandom: Arrow**

Oliver was standing by the large living room windows. Around him, people talked and laughed, discussing business deals and what their plans were for the New Year, but his eyes were locked in on one person: Brianna, the woman who showed him that he could love again.

He had met Brianna a few years after he had returned from the island. She had taken the opening in the IT department, left opened by Felicity when she became his vice-president in the company. Felicity talked highly of her and, soon, she was setting up a date for the two of them. Oliver still thanked Felicity for that.

Brianna was talking to his mother and sister, the three of them laughing at something that she had said and he smiled. Oliver remembered their first Christmas as a couple. He was going to take her to his family annual Christmas party and officially introduce her as his girlfriend. He remembered how nervous she was to finally meet his mother and sister. How she begged him not to leave her side. How hard she tried to make a good first impression, not that she needed. Everyone that met her, feel in love with her.

She was kind, polite, sweet, funny and honest in every word she spoke. She didn't made distinctions between anyone, either be a business man or a homeless person on the street. She treated everyone equally and fairly. She had this way of talking to everyone and made them feel special, and she would give you her undivided attention when you spoke, even if she would be bored out of her mind.

On the day of the Christmas party she was so nervous that she trembled. Oliver thought it was sweet that she would be like that. There she was, this strong, independent woman, trembling at the thought of meeting his family. He remembered pulling her close, kissing her sweetly and telling her that there was no reason for her to be that nervous, that his family would love her as much as he did. Brianna smiled softly, he could see the nerves subsiding but he also knew they were still there.

Walking into the house, Oliver saw the wide-eyed look she had when she saw the tree and decorations. "You weren't kidding when you said you guys go all out for Christmas.", she had whispered in his ear, earning her a chuckle from him. The more she saw, the more impressed she was. She loved Christmas and, in that moment, she looked like a kid that had just met Santa for the first time.

The first person that he introduced her to was his sister, Thea. Brianna stretched her hand to shake hers, but Thea just pulled her into a tight hug. Brianna was caught of guard, but, after a moment of hesitation, she hugged Thea back. Thea asked her a million questions and Brianna was happy to answer them. After what had felt like hours, Thea told him that he had picked a good one and to not let go of her. Oliver laughed and looked over at Brianna, saying that she was stuck with him, which earned him a heartfelt laugh from Brianna.

As they moved more inside of the living room, Oliver saw his mother and made his way towards her. Pulling her away from some shareholders, he introduced Brianna to her. His mother shook her hand and made small talk, trying to assess if Brianna was "worthy" of her son. His mother must've been pleased with what she heard and saw, because, before being taken away to talk to a board member, she hugged Brianna tight and told her she was happy that Oliver had found her.

Once his mother was out of ear-shot, Oliver heard Brianna release a breath he didn't know she was holding. Looking at her, he saw the look of relief in her face, any nervousness she might still be feeling, long gone. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he quickly led her towards were the drinks were being served. Grabbing two champagne glasses for them and giving her one, he asked her if she was okay. She said that she was and that she thought that it went better than she expected. Oliver pulled her close and kissed her, telling her that it went great. They spent the rest of the night making small talk with some of the guests.

Oliver was pulled out if his thoughts by Brianna asking him if he was okay. He answered that he was just remembering their first Christmas together and on how far they had come. Brianna gave him a chaste kiss and told him that, even though she was nervous back then, just by having him by her side, that made it all worth it. Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her, telling her that he loved her and that nothing would ever change that.

That first Christmas together was one of his favorite Christmas'. Not because of his mother's or Thea's approval of his relationship with Brianna, but simply because she was there with him and because he knew that she would always be there by his side.


	25. Cards (part 1)

**Prompt: Cards (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Christmas was supposed to be a joyous season and it usually was, but, unfortunely, this was also a though season for Elizabeth. Not only did she have double the work, with choosing who will go home on leave for Christmas and who was staying behind, plus the daily operations of the city, there was one thing that she was dreading doing.

In the last month alone, the Atlantis expedition had lost a few of their members. Stargate Command had made the family notifications, but she felt that she needed to give something more to the families. After all, these people were under her command and she knew for a fact that many of them had told their families who she was. It didn't feel right to her to not say anything about them to their respective families, in her own words.

That's were she was. Working late in her office, writing hand-written and personalized cards to the families of the ones she had lost. She was starting from the beginning, with the first member they had lost: scientist Lacey White. Dr. White had been in an off-world research mission with SGA-3, when they were ambushed. While retreating to the gate, she had been wounded and ended up passing away the next day, in the Atlantis infirmary.

She was a bright, young scientist that was always ready to help everyone and that was exactly what Elizabeth was telling her parents in her card. She wished she could tell them more, but due to the fact that her parents didn't had clearance to know about the expedition, that was all that Elizabeth was able to say. She went on numbering the great qualities that Dr. White was known for, as well as tell them how much she was cared for by all who knew her. Elizabeth signed the card and moved on to the next.

Elizabeth lost count to the number of cards she had written when there was a knock on the door. Not lifting her eyes from the card she was finishing, she told who ever it was to enter and to give her a minute. Once she was done, she looked up and saw that it was John.

Elizabeth asked him if everything was okay, to which he answered that it was. He couldn't sleep and when he saw that she was still working, came to ask her if she needed anything. Leaning back in her chair, Elizabeth let out a tired breath and told him what she was doing. John just nodded, sitting in the chair in front of her.

They didn't say much after that. Elizabeth went back to the last of the cards and John started looking over some mission reports on his tablet. They just sat there, working, not saying anything. Elizabeth could feel his silent support for what she was doing. He knew all too well what it was like to have to notify a family member that their loved one was gone and she knew that.

By the time Elizabeth was done with the cards, it was almost five am. She had spent all night writing and, not only did she feel physically exhausted, she was mentally exhausted as well. Writing those cards had taken a lot more from her than she thought it would.

Capping her pen, she placed the last card with the others and stood up, John following suit. They still didn't say a word, they didn't have to. Leaving her office, John escorted her to her quarters and, before she got in, he told her that he thought it was a nice gesture what she was doing.

Elizabeth just answered that it was the least she could do, before saying goodnight and entering her room. Once the doors were closed, Elizabeth couldn't help but to think about all those they had lost, not just during the past month, but since the expedition began and she felt a tear escaping her eyes.

She could easily blame it on the exhaustion she was feeling, but the truth was that she felt sad and mad at the fact that they had lost so many people, so many good people, since this expedition began. When she was given this assignment, they had told her that it wouldn't be easy, but she never thought it would be this hard. That she would lose so many people and that there wasn't anything she could do to change that.

She knew they were doing all they could to make things safer for everyone, but they couldn't control everything and that right there was the problem. Things happened, accidents happened, and all she could do was try and lead everyone the best way she knew how.

Getting in bed, after a hot shower and a good crying session, Elizabeth couldn't help but think that if she could go back in time, she would try and save every one of them and she would send them home to celebrate Christmas with their families. But, since she couldn't, all she could do was send a few cards and hope they could bring some solace to the families. Something that she didn't have.


	26. Cards (part 2)

**Prompt: Cards (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Natalie) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Evan wanted to do something special for Natalie. They had been dating for four years now and this would be their third Christmas together. They had this tradition of exchanging cards the week before and he knew exactly what he wanted to do for her card.

It was his day off, Natalie was covering the morning shift in the infirmary for another doctor that was sick, so he knew he had at least eight hours to get her card done. Pulling out the box that stored all of his art supplies, he got to work. He took the picture he had of her from his jacket and placed it on the table. Taking a piece of charcoal from the box, he began tracing her face on the piece of paper that would, eventually, become her card.

The idea was simple. Evan was going to draw her face on the front of the card and write a loving message on the inside. He knew how much she loved when he would draw, but was always reticent when it came of her becoming one of his paintings or drawings. She would say that, even though she loved seeing him paint, she wasn't so sure about being painted, simply because she didn't think it was worth the hassle on his part. So, Evan would sketch her in his notebook, always without her knowing. And now, with this card, he was hoping he could show her how beautiful she was and how it was no hassle, simply because he loved her.

A few hours later and he was finished. Just in time to meet Natalie on the open balcony halfway between the infirmary and the mess hall. It was their favorite spot in the city and where they would always trade the cards. He was the first to get there, so he sat on the bench and waited. He started getting nervous. "What if she doesn't like it?" and "What if she gets upset?" were the thoughts running through his mind.

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a smiling Natalie and with that, all the nervousness he was feeling was gone. She had this calming effect on him that no one else he had ever met had. He saw her walking towards him and sitting on the bench next to him. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he slid her closer to him and kissed her softly, feeling her kissing him back.

Once they were both content, Evan pulled his card out and handed it to her. He saw her taking it out of the envelope and heard her gasp at the image in front of her. It was a perfect replica of the picture he had of her and that he would always carry with him. He could see she had tears in her eyes. She didn't say anything, she just kissed him. The smile on her lips was enough to tell him that she loved it.

Natalie placed the card very gently back in its envelope and put it by her side on the bench. It was now her turn. He saw her pull an envelope from her jacket and when she handed it to him, he noticed her hand shaking a bit. She was nervous. Evan knew that, no matter what the card said, he was gonna love it, simply because it was from her.

Evan pulled the card from the envelope and looked at the front. On it, she had drawn three hearts: two large ones and a smaller one between them, all of them painted; one of the large ones was painted blue, the other pink and the small one was half and half, blue and pink.

He smiled at the care that she had put in drawing and painting them. They were quite cute and he made sure to tell her just that. Opening the card, inside was a simple question: "Earth or Atlantis?" and under it was a piece of paper folded in half. Evan was confused by the question. Unfolding the paper, he saw what was on it and he almost dropped the card.

Looking at her with wide-eyes, he couldn't believe what was in the card. "Please, let it be true.", he thought, hopeful that she wasn't playing a cruel joke on him. He saw that she had tears in her eyes and when he asked if it was real, she simply nodded, a huge smile on her lips. He was going to be a dad.

He could barely believe it. In that small piece of paper was an ultrasound. It wasn't like they were trying, but they weren't not trying, if it makes any sense. Standing up and pulling her with him, he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her passionately. He couldn't believe his luck.

Looking back, he should've guessed it when he saw the hearts. But he really had no idea. Natalie just gave him the best Christmas present he could've had ever asked for. Sitting back on the bench, he couldn't resist but to rub her stomach, the place where their baby was growing.

They both knew they would have to tell Elizabeth and John, but for now, they were just going to enjoy the news. There was plenty of time to let everyone know.


	27. Wish Upon A Star (part 1)

**Prompt: Wish Upon A Star (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

It was all the astronomers in Atlantis talked about. A meteor shower was going to be visible to the naked eye on the skies of the planet. They had already assured everyone, Elizabeth specially, that it didn't pose any danger, either to the city or to Teyla's people in the mainland. Teyla had witnessed meteor showers before, in her home planet, but they were always so beautiful to watch that she had decided to find a place to watch it again.

Walking into one of the open balconies of the city, she found that it wasn't as empty as she had expected. Sitting on the bench was Dr. Sharon, one of the city's medical doctors and Major Lorne's fiancé.

\- "I'm sorry. I thought no one was here." – Teyla apologized, preparing to leave. She was sure Dr. Sharon was waiting for the Major to join her.

\- "It's alright, Teyla. You can join me if you want."

\- "I guess I can keep you company until Major Lorne arrives."

\- "In that case, we would have to stay here until tomorrow afternoon." – Dr. Sharon told her, with a chuckle and a smile. Teyla must've looked confused, because Dr. Sharon proceeded to explain her statement. - "Evan is on an over-night off-world mission."

\- "Ah. I did not know that. In that case, I'll keep you company, if that's okay." - Teyla said, sitting next to the Dr. on the small bench and looking at the sky.

\- "Have you started making plans for the wedding?" – Teyla asked, trying to make conversation. In all fairness, she barely knew the doctor, only interacting with her when she was on call in the infirmary and Teyla would go have her post-mission check-ups.

\- "To be completely honest, I have no idea where to even start. And with everything that has been going on, I'll guiltily admit that it has been the last thing on my mind."

\- "I understand. Sometimes life just gets in the way. But, if you need any help, I'd be happy to lend my assistance."

\- "Thank you, Teyla. I might just take you up on that, because I have no idea what to do."

A comfortable silent fell between the two women. Still looking at the sky, they saw the first meteors hit the atmosphere, increasing in number by the minute. That's when Dr. Sharon confused her.

\- "Don't forget to make a wish." – Dr. Sharon told her, her eyes never leaving the skies above them.

\- "A wish?"

\- "Yeah, a wish. It's something we do back on Earth. When we see a shooting star, that's what we call when a meteor enters our atmosphere, we follow it with our eyes and make a wish. It's just something we do."

\- "Oh. And do those wishes come true?"

\- "Sometimes, but I think is more on the base of wishful thinking than anything else. It gives people hope and its just fun to do. To leave your wishes up to the universe to make them come true."

Teyla nodded, thinking about what the doctor had just told her. Looking back at her, Teyla saw that she was indeed making a wish every once in a while. She decided to give it a try. "Why not?", she thought before choosing a meteor and making her wish.

\- "How long until the wishes come true?" – Teyla asked, genuinely interested. It might me a silly superstition but it was a sweet one. A superstition she wouldn't mind teaching her children.

\- "It depends. Some people say it takes a few weeks, others years. Who knows? I do it just because I like the idea of leaving those wishes up to the universe. That's all."

\- "Did you make one? A wish I mean."

\- "I did, but I can't tell you or the wish won't come true. That's the other part. If you tell your wish to anyone it won't come true." – Dr. Sharon told her, with a sweet smile.

Teyla suspected what her wish might had been, but if saying out loud made that the wish wouldn't come true, then she would keep her mouth shut.

Teyla liked that superstition. Just like Dr. Sharon said, it provided hope and they all needed a little bit of hope in that moment. Teyla had decided then that she would teach her children all about the wish upon a star superstition that Dr. Sharon had taught her.


	28. Wish Upon A Star (part 2)

**Prompt: Wish Upon A Star (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Sharon) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

It's been almost a month since Evan had any downtime to spend with his fiancé, Sharon. Between her work as one of the city's medical doctors and his constant off-world missions, it was hard to find time to be together. So, when Sheppard gave him the day off, he knew exactly what to do. He was going to take Sharon for a nighttime picnic on one of the city's piers.

Evan asked for help from the cooks in the mess hall, telling them his plan. They all knew him and Sharon, so they were more than happy to help. Putting together a small picnic basket, with some food and a bottle of wine, all Evan needed now was a blanket to lay on the floor and one to wrap themselves in, in case it got cold.

Running to his quarters, he picked a couple of blankets at random and made his way to the infirmary. He had already cleared everything with Dr. Weir, so all he needed was his fiancé. He arrived just as she was saying goodnight to everyone. When she saw him, her eyes lit up like the sun and she had the biggest smile ever. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Evan pulled her close and kissed her passionately and felt her do the same.

Breaking the kiss, he simply told her that he had a surprise for her. Leading her towards the outside piers, he couldn't help but to look back at her every once in a while. He was deeply in love with her and he knew he would never love someone as much as he loved her.

They got to the pier and that's when Evan told her what the plan was. She quickly snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him sweetly, saying an "I love you", before breaking away to help him lay the blanket on the floor. Placing the basket behind them, they laid on the blanket and for a while, all they did was look at the starry sky above them.

Evan held her hand in his, crossing his fingers with hers. She looked back at him and he saw the stars in her eyes. "How did I get so lucky?", he thought, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it. She smiled big and looked back at the stars.

He decided to look at her, instead of the skies above. He started remembering how they first met. It was after a particularly complicated off-world mission. One that had him returning to Atlantis with a lot more cuts and bruises than usual.

Evan and his team had been scouting a planet to possibly become a beta site, when, while walking by a small ravine, a landslide occurred. He managed to push one of his men out of the way of a rather large boulder but he wasn't so lucky. He ended up getting caught by the boulder, which caused him to fall down the ravine. His men made quick work in getting him out of there and back to Atlantis, where Dr. Sharon was waiting to treat him, after being told what had happened.

Because of that, he had to stay in the infirmary for a few weeks. He didn't mind, it was all the time Evan needed to get to know her and to fall in love with her. After a rather eventful first date, that included a very frantic Dr. McKay, she still wanted to go out with him on a second date. That's when he knew he would follow that woman wherever she would go.

Three years had passed and he decided that it was time to pop the question. Which he did, with Sheppard and Dr. Keller's help, about two months ago. And when she said yes, he thought he was gonna explode with happiness. Now, to actually get married was a different story.

Looking back at the sky, he saw a star shooting by and he decided to make a wish. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sharon do the same and smiled. Evan could almost guess what her wish was but he wouldn't say anything. Looking back at her, he saw her looking at him and decided to kiss her. Sliding closer to her, leaning on his elbow above her, he leaned in and kissed her, sweetly at first but quickly turning into a passionate make-out session.

Stopping for a second so they could catch their breaths, he just laid there looking at her and wishing the night would never end. In fact, that had been his wish. Well, almost. In truth, his wish had been that they stayed that happy forever. All he could hope now was that his wish upon a star would come true.


	29. Surprising Visit (part 1)

**Prompt: Surprising Visit (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

Loki was bored out of his mind. Being stuck in Asgard was a harsh punishment for his behavior, specially after he had saved Thor's life. Thor had told him that he couldn't leave Asgard unless he was with him to make sure Loki wouldn't get into any more trouble. Only, getting into trouble was part of who he was.

He knew that it would take time to win the trust of everyone around him, particularly his brother, but he wanted to, so he would do whatever it took to make that happen. He had yet to have the chance to do so, since he barely saw his brother. In the last couple months, if he saw Thor more that two or three times, ten minutes each time, it was a lot.

So, it came as a surprise when Thor showed up one afternoon, while he was taking a walk through the palace. After greeting each other and making small talk, Thor told him that he was just passing by. He had been invited by Tony Stark to attend a Christmas dinner, whatever that might be, with the rest of the Avengers and didn't know when he would be returning.

That's when Loki had an idea. He knew Thor would resist but he had to try. Anything to get out of Asgard. He told Thor that, maybe he could go with him. He said that he wanted to make amends with the other Avengers and what better way to do so than with his brother by his side. Thor took a few minutes to consider all that could go wrong, but after Loki swore by their mother that he would be on his best behavior, he allowed Loki to join him.

Loki was surprised that his brother would agree so easily. He was expecting a lot more resistance from him, but he wasn't about to complain. Thor told him that at the first sign of trouble on his part, he would bring Loki back and lock him up until he was sure Loki had learned his lesson. Loki agreed, not wanting to lose the chance of seeing something other than the palace walls. They were leaving in an hour and Thor told him to meet him in the Bifrost Bridge. Loki couldn't believe his luck. "This is going to interesting.", he thought getting ready to leave.

Now, Loki wasn't lying when he said that he wanted to make amends. He really wanted to apologize. After their mother's death and a heart-to-heart with Thor, he came to the realization that he had done all those things out of spite and he knew he no longer carried that with him. But of course, he wasn't going to lose the opportunity to mess with Stark. You could say it was part of his charm, he sure did.

Loki arrived at the Bifrost before Thor. Greeting Heimdall, Loki paced around, waiting for Thor. Heimdall asked him if he was gonna behave and Loki just gave him a smirk. Heimdall shook his head and let out a chuckle. He knew Loki wasn't going to get into trouble, at least not the kind he used to.

Thor arrived and greeted Heimdall, asking him to connect the Bifrost with Earth. Loki could barely contain his excitement. He was about to leave Asgard. Sure, what awaited him wasn't gonna be a warm welcome, by all means, but he was determined to show the Avengers, and his brother, that he had truly changed.

Loki saw Heimdall connect the bridge and joined his brother, getting ready to travel to Earth. Thor had told him that they would meet the other Avengers at their new compound and that they would land on the lawn just by the front door, so he could be prepared. Loki couldn't help but laugh at the thought that Stark wasn't gonna be happy that they would ruin the lawn. "Serves him right.", Loki thought, knowing that Stark would be pissed not just at the lawn but at his presence as well.

Loki knew that convincing the Avengers that he had changed wasn't going to be easy, even with his brother by his side, plus the fact that he hadn't been invited to their little gathering, but he was willing to try. "They're in for a treat.", Loki thought, before stepping through the Bifrost.


	30. Surprising Visit (part 2)

**Prompt: Surprising Visit (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Kathy) / Fandom: Marvel**

The flash of bright light let them know that Thor had arrived. All the Avengers, and their loved ones, covered their eyes at the brightness of the light. Steve heard Tony say that Thor had arrived, as if they didn't already know. He heard his girlfriend, Kathy, chuckle by his side. She always thought that Tony was just a big child and that made her laugh. Smiling at her, he quickly pressed his lips against the top of her head. Steve was so taken by Kathy, that he didn't noticed that Thor had brought someone with him. It wasn't until he saw, from the corner of his eye, Clint grab his bow and an arrow that Steve turned his head and saw who was it.

Standing next to Thor, with a shit-eating grin on his face, was Loki. Steve quickly got up, pulling Kathy with him and pushing her to stand behind him. He wasn't taking any chances with Loki. Steve heard Tony ask Thor why he had brought Loki with him, but his eyes never left Loki. If he moved forward an inch, he was ready to tackle him and keep him on the floor. He wasn't gonna let Loki anywhere near Kathy. She meant too much to him to let anything happen to her.

Thor explained that Loki wanted to make amends with them and that was why he was there. Steve saw Loki lower his hands, he must've raised them when he saw Clint's reaction, and try to take a step forward. That movement was quickly met with Tony raising his already suited hand, an arrow from Clint grazing his ear for warning and himself getting into battle mode. Loki aborted the step, thinking twice before moving again. Thor looked defeated next to him. They could tell he had warned Loki that that might happen.

That's when Kathy surprised them all. Steve was so focused on Loki that he didn't notice Kathy slipping past him until she was just a few feet away from him. Stretching her hand, she introduced herself to him and asked him if he wanted something to drink. Everyone was in shock, even Loki. Composing himself, he requested a water and Kathy smiled at him and moved towards the kitchen to get him his water.

Returning with his water, she handed it to him and then Loki did something that made Steve's blood boil. He took her hand in his and kissed it, thanking her for her kindness. Steve was ready to rip his head off of his shoulders, but then Kathy surprised him yet again. She took her hand away and asked him to behave himself, otherwise Steve would most likely kill him and not even Thor would be able to stop him. That's when he saw Loki understanding what she was saying between the lines.

"That's right, she's my girl.", Steve thought, seeing Loki's charming expression change into shock and going back to his charming self. He knew that Loki knew better than to mess with Kathy now that he knew she was with him. Still, looking back at Kathy, Steve couldn't help but be in awe of her. She knew all that he had done, but she was still willing to give him a chance.

Thor brought him back to reality, telling everyone that he knew that they all had history with Loki, but that he had changed and he was vouching for him, asking his friends to just hear him out. Steve looked around the room, seeing everyone exchanging looks, asking without words if they could trust Loki to do the right thing.

Kathy was now back by Steve's side and encouraged him to take the first step. She told him that if Thor trusted his brother enough to bring him into a room filled with people that wanted nothing more than kill him for what he had done, than they could trust Thor that Loki really wanted to make things right.

Steve gave her a soft kiss and approached Loki, stretching his hand and waiting for the God to shake it. Loki looked shocked but composed himself and shook his hand. Loki told Steve that he was sorry about everything and that he had turned the page and was now trying to be a better person. Steve looked at Thor and saw him nod in his direction, smiling softly.

He returned to Kathy's side, wrapping his arm around her waist and whispered softly in her ear how amazing she was. She just snuggled closer on his side, smiling, and continued watching the rest of the Avengers taking tentative steps toward Loki.

Soon, they were all sitting around the large dinning table, everyone talking and laughing. There was still some discomfort, but between Tony's not so covert attacks on Loki and Loki's jabs at Tony, it sounded more like a family getting together for dinner than dinner with one of their former enemies. All because Kathy took that first step.

Sure, this wasn't exactly how Steve had pictured having Christmas dinner with his friends, but then again having Loki there was never part of the plan. The only thing he knew for sure was that, maybe now and thanks to Kathy, Thor and Loki could become brothers again.


	31. Cookies (part 1)

**Prompt: Cookies (part 1)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Sofia) / Fandom: Marvel**

It was a call she didn't want to answer. Steve had warned her that things got complicated once he tracked down Bucky, but she never thought they would get that messed up. She was getting calls from everyone, well everyone who mattered, but this one she really didn't want to answer. Still, she owed him that much. Afterall, he was the one that introduced her to Steve and made possible for them to be together.

\- "Hello?"

\- "Did you know?" – Tony's voice on the other end of the call was tired and on edge. One wrong word and she would lose his friendship.

\- "No. I'm sorry, Tony. I had no idea."

\- "Would you have warned me if you had known?"

\- "No, I wouldn't." – Sofia immediately felt tired. She really wasn't ready to have this talk with Tony. Steve was her fiancé, she would never betray him, but Tony was like a big brother to her. To say she was divided between them was an understatement.

\- "I figured that much. I'm just calling to let you know that Rhodey is in the hospital."

\- "What? What happened?"

\- "Because of your fiancé, Rhodey might not walk again. The doctors are with him now."

\- "Where is he being treated?"

\- "He's at Mount Sinai. Room 203."

\- "Thank you, Tony. And I'm sorry." – She didn't get an answer, Tony just ended the call without saying anything else.

Placing the phone back in her jeans' pocket, she turned to the man sitting on her couch, his head low and she could tell he felt ashamed of what had happened.

\- "What did you do, Steve?"

\- "It was an accident. Vision tried hitting Sam with his powers, Sam moved out of the way and it hit Rhodes. Sam tried helping him before he hit the ground, but he didn't get to him in time. I only heard about it later, through Tony, when he found us in the bunker. Sofia, I swear, I never wanted this to happened."

\- "I know, I know. But there is nothing we can do about it now. You and Bucky have to go underground. Disappear. You know Tony is not happy about this and it's gonna take some time before he even talks to you. Or me, for that matter." – Sofia could feel a headache starting to form, but there was nothing she could do about it. Her heart was breaking at the thought of losing her fiancé, but she knew it wasn't permanent. Just until Tony calms down.

\- "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I never intended to put you in this position. Bucky and I are going to Wakanda. T'Challa offered us asylum. He says he might even be able to help Bucky with his mind control problem. We have to try. I'm sorry." – Steve wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight and kissing the top of her head.

When Sofia pulled away, she had tears in her eyes and she saw that so did he. They were saying goodbye, for how long, they didn't know. But neither of them was ready to give up on each other.

\- "Stay safe and take care of Bucky. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm Captain America's girl, remember?" – She said, trying to light the mood.

\- "I know, but that doesn't mean I like the idea of leaving you."

\- "I'll see you soon. That's a promise. Until then, just stay safe and out of trouble." – She kissed him softly, feeling his lips responding to her kiss. She knew they had to go as soon as possible, for their own safety, but it wasn't easy.

Steve broke the kiss and she moved to grab his duffel bag. Handing it to him, she kissed him once more and walked to the door. It was breaking her heart having to say goodbye to him, but she needed to be strong. He kissed her one more time and then left. Sofia closed the door behind her and fell to the ground crying.

It took a few minutes for her to compose herself. Once she was able to function again, she decided to go and visit Rhodey in the hospital. She knew Tony would be there and that he wouldn't be happy, but she had known Rhodey for years and he was one of her best friends, there was no way she wouldn't go and visit him.

Sofia got dressed as quickly as she could. She wanted to keep her mind busy with something other than Steve. If she didn't, she would be a crying mess. Grabbing her bag, she decided to stop by Rhodey's favorite bakery and pick up some of their chocolate chip cookies, his favorites.

She bought about a dozen of them, already knowing that they wouldn't last long. What she didn't know was if Rhodey would even agree to her visiting him. As far as she knew, he could be mad at her, just like Tony was. It was a risk she needed to take.

Sofia wasn't lying to Tony when she told him that she didn't know what Steve was going to do. She had no idea, all she knew was that he had gone after Bucky. She wasn't expecting that that search would lead to a freaking civil war between them. But, then again, she had to have at least suspect when the news blamed Bucky for the death of T'Challa's father.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize she was already in front of the hospital. She entered the sterilized building and asked where the room where Rhodey was. The nurse checked her in and gave her the directions she needed. Making her way there, all she could think of was how she hoped that Rhodey was okay and that it was all just a big scare, nothing else.

She quickly found herself outside the room, staring at the door. Taking a deep breath, she clutched the box with the cookies in her hand and knocked. "Here we go.", she thought.


	32. Cookies (part 2)

**Prompt: Cookies (part 2)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

\- "Come in." – Rhodes said, not knowing who was on the other side of the door, but whoever it was, made Tony upset and uncomfortable.

\- "Hey, Rhodey. Tony."

\- "Hey, kid. What's up?" – Rhodes could tell she was fearful. "She probably thinks I'm mad at her.", he thought, gesturing for her to come close.

\- "I'm gonna go to the cafeteria." – Tony said, his voice cold as ice.

Rhodes knew Tony blamed Steve for what had happened to him, and, to a certain extent, blamed Sofia as well. But he didn't. It was a freaky accident. Sure, it all started with Steve but still, it was just an accident. He didn't blame Sofia either. She couldn't have predicted that any of this was going to happen when she started dating Steve.

\- "How you feeling, Rhodey?" – She asked him, her voice small. As small as she looked in that moment.

\- "Like I was run over by a dump truck, but other than that, peachy."

\- "Rhodey, I'm so sorry. I had no idea any of this was going to happen. I'm really sorry."

\- "Kid, listen. None of this is your fault. You weren't there. Besides, it was an accident. I don't even blame Sam or Vision. Sam was just trying to dodge Vision's power. He didn't know I was right behind him. And Vision got distracted. How that could even happen is beyond me. Anyway, it's no one's fault. Just a weird accident, okay?" – Rhodes saw tears in Sofia's eyes. He could tell that, for some reason, she blamed herself. – "Now, is that chocolate chip cookies that I smell?"

\- "Yes, I stopped by your favorite bakery and bought some, just for you." – She answered, chuckling.

Taking the box from her, Rhodes quickly opened it and took one, shoving half of it in his mouth before offering one to her. She shook her head and thanked him. He knew this couldn't be easy on her. One look at her and you could tell all she wanted was to crawl into her bed and cry her eyes out. She found herself caught between the two most important people in her life.

On one side she had Tony, someone who had been like a brother to her for as long as he could remember. Someone who had been there whenever she needed him. Someone who had pulled her from the bottom of the pit more times than she likes to admit. Someone she loves dearly.

On the other side she had Steve, the man that had her heart. The man that made her feel like the only girl in the world. The man that made happy, happier than he had ever seen her. The man that wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. The man that had saved her more than once from her own darkness.

How could she not be divided? Rhodes knew that Tony most likely made things even harder by blaming her. But still, there she was, willingly putting herself in a position where she could get yelled at by Tony, all just so she could see how he was doing. That was true friendship.

Taking another cookie from the box, Rhodes decided that he needed to have a talk with Tony about her. He couldn't let their friendship become damaged because of what happened. If he didn't blame her, why would Tony? Sofia was the most loyal, caring, loving person they both knew. It wasn't fair to her that Tony would blame her for something that was beyond her control.

\- "Everything is going to be okay, Sofia. You'll see."

\- "I'm not sure it will, Rhodey. Tony blames me for everything that had happened."

\- "I'll make sure he knows that he's wrong in blaming you. Don't worry, kid. It will be okay." – Rhodes told her, patting her hand and eating another cookie, making a satisfied growl that made her chuckle.

It wouldn't be easy, but, just as determined as he was to walk again, he was determined to talk some sense into Tony's head, even if that meant kicking his ass.


	33. No Power (part 1)

**Prompt: No Power (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

It was a heatwave like no other, which was saying a lot in Hawaii. It was a matter of time for the power to go out. Steve was expecting it, but not on his anniversary with Emily. This was their third year together and he wanted to make it special. He even had asked Danny to cook his family's Italian recipes for dinner, since Emily loved Italian food.

He had met Emily while surfing one afternoon after work, accidently hitting her with his board. He quickly apologized to her and even offered to take her to the hospital, but she had said that she was okay, telling him that he could buy her a beer instead.

They started surfing together almost everyday and, after a few months, Steve gathered the courage necessary to ask her out on a date. It was a short date, since his work got in the way, but she still agreed to go on a second date with him, and then a third and a forth. Three years later and he was still falling in love for her every single day.

Steve had everything planned out. He put a table out on the back porch, with a checkered table cloth and cloth napkins. A good wine was chilling in the fridge and he already had all the ingredients Danny would need for the meal. He had put up fairy lights all around the porch, a suggestion that came from Grace and that it gave a more romantic feel to the whole evening.

That's when the power went out. At first, he thought that it was just his house fuse box, but then realized that his whole neighborhood was out. "Now what?", he thought, not wanting to cancel their evening in. Calling Danny, he was hoping that he might be able to give him an idea. The idea actually came from Melissa, suggesting that he could use candles to light their dinner and the space around them.

Steve took her suggestion and ran with it. He grabbed as many candles as he could from the house and spread them around the back porch and the closest part of the backyard, using also some tiki torches to light the rest. Taking a step back and looking around, he couldn't help but to feel proud of his work. "I gotta remember to buy a thank you gift for Melissa.", he thought, knowing that her suggestion had just saved their night.

He had also remembered that he had a small generator in his garage, so he hooked it up to just the essentials, such as the fridge. Steve knew the generator could power the house for the night, but he didn't know how long it was gonna take for the power to come back, so he decided to go just with the essentials. Besides the backyard looked perfect with all the candles, he was sure she was gonna love it.

A knock on the door signaled that it was Danny coming over to cook their dinner. When Steve had asked, Danny played hard to get but eventually agreed. Steve knew that Danny wouldn't say no. Danny and Emily were kindred spirits, liked some of the same things, mostly how they both worried about Steve and his crazy stunts. Steve also knew that the moment that Grace had given her stamp of approval on uncle Steve's girlfriend, there was no way that Danny wouldn't like Emily.

Steve opened the door and let Danny and Grace in. They said their hellos and quickly got to work. Danny was making them lasagna and stracciatella cheesecake, two of Emily's favorites. Steve tried helping but was shot down by both Danny and Grace. He couldn't help but laugh at how Grace looked like her father in that moment. Grace took a look at the clock and told him that he should get ready, while they finished things.

He agreed and made his way towards his bedroom. Stripping down, he jumped in the shower and had one of his famous "three-minutes" showers. Wrapping a towel around him, he moved back into his room and got dressed. He was going to wear a summer suit, without the tie. He knew how much Emily loved to see him in a suit, but he had also told her to dress up, giving her the impression that they were going to go out. Sure, it was a small lie, but he knew Emily would much rather spend the evening in the house than going out.

Coming downstairs, he found that Danny and Grace had just finished and were just cleaning up. Walking in the kitchen, he heard Danny whistling and Grace telling him that he looked nice. He thanked and hugged her and sent a look Danny's way. Danny told him that all he had to do was turn the oven off in thirty minutes and then let it settle another five minutes, before serving. Steve nodded in understanding and thanked them both for helping him. They both hugged Steve and said their goodbyes before leaving.

Steve was nervous, it had been a while since he had been in such a long relationship, which with his work with 5-O and the Navy, wasn't easy to accomplish. But Emily had been amazing and so understanding, that he knew he had to go all out for their third anniversary.

Now, all he could do was wait for her to arrive. She should be there around the time he had to turn the oven off, so it was perfect. It would give her time to settle in and drink some wine before he would bring dinner out. Danny had planned things perfectly.

Thirty minutes passed and he turned the oven off as instructed. That's when he heard the unmistakable sound of her car engine coming down the driveway, towards the house. "Let's hope she likes it.", he thought, walking towards the front door.


	34. No Power (part 2)

**Prompt: No Power (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve McGarrett x OFC (Emily) / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

Emily arrived at Steve's house, her headlights the only thing lighting the house. The power had gone out a few hours earlier and she wasn't sure what Steve had planned for their third anniversary. "If anything had changed, he had texted.", she thought, getting out of her car and making her way towards his front door.

She saw his door opened and standing there was Steve, in a suit and with a candle in his hand. She couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of her. She always loved seeing him in a suit and that's exactly what he was wearing. He had told her to dress up, so that's what she did. She was wearing a black, above the knee, dress with black high heel sandals.

Climbing the front steps, she saw him reach his hand out for her. Taking her hand on his, he pulled her close and kissed her softly, whispering a "Happy Anniversary" once they broke the kiss. Steve lead her in and back into the back porch. The sight before her took her breath away.

All around them were candles: on the porch, the table, the backyard. Emily even saw a few tiki torches lighting the yard, all the way down to the water. She was amazed at the thought and care that he had put into making that night as special as possible.

Steve pulled her chair and gestured for her to take a seat. Once she had sat down, he opened the bottle of wine and poured it into their glasses. Raising his glass, he toasted them and their relationship, saying that he only had one wish: that they could be that happy forever. Emily felt tears in her eyes when he leaned in and kissed her.

Steve excused himself and went back inside. She figured he had gone to get their dinner and she was right. He returned with their plates, a piece of lasagna in each plate. She smiled at him, seeing that he remembered that it was one of her favorite dishes. Emily tasted it and told him that it was amazing. She asked him if he had cook that, but he said that he had enlisted Danny's help, since he knew how much she loved Italian food.

They spent the rest of the night talking and laughing. Eventually, Steve suggested they would take a walk by the water. Steve took her hand and they walked hand-in-hand, talking about anything and everything. Suddenly, she felt Steve pulling her back into him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Looking back at him, she saw him leaning in and felt his lips on hers. Kissing him back, they quickly lost themselves in the kiss, the only sounds around them coming from the small waves crashing on the shore. Breaking the kiss only for their need of air, she lost herself in his eyes and fell even more in love with him.

Emily knew it wasn't always easy to be in a relationship with Steve. Between his job as head of 5-O and his work with the Navy, it took a lot of work to keep the relationship going, but it was in moments like these that she was sure that it was all worth it.

She wasn't scared of a challenge, and dating Steve was a challenge, but he always made sure that when they were together, she had his undivided attention. He never made her feel like she wasn't important, quite the contrary. He made her fell like there wasn't any other girls in the world. And she loved him even more for that.

They, eventually, returned to his house, putting out the torches and candles as they passed them. Steve grabbed a few and placed them in the living room. Leaving for a minute, he returned with the wine and their glasses. Sitting on the couch next to her, he slid her closer to him and kissed her.

It was a sweet kiss at first, but that quickly turned into a heated make-out session. Next thing she knows, he's carrying her back to his room, where they would stay until morning.

"Yep, best anniversary ever.", Emily thought, when she woke up the next morning, laying naked next to him.


	35. Fireplace (part 1)

**Prompt: Fireplace (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

It was Aaron's first full weekend off work in awhile and he knew exactly how he wanted to spend it: with Jack and his girlfriend, Olivia. The day before, ha had taken Jack and Olivia to the movies and, after, to dinner. Today, he had decided they would just stay in and relax. His idea was simple: just lay in front of the fireplace and roast marshmallows.

Olivia had to stop by her work to pick up a few papers she had forgotten and that she needed for this big meeting Monday morning across town, so he decided he was gonna take Jack to the grocery store to pick up all they were going to need for the perfect night in. Aaron got Jack ready and off they went. The ride there was a short one and once there, he grabbed a cart and placed Jack inside. He loved ridding that thing.

Finding the right corridor, Aaron picked a few bags of white marshmallows, both big and small, giving them to Jack to put inside the cart. Next was the chocolate and cookies. Spotting them just a few corridors over, he grabbed a few chocolate tablets and a couple of boxes of cookies. Add to that a few extra bags of candy and they were ready to go home. Moving to the check out lanes, he quickly paid and they were on their way home.

Aaron could tell Jack was excited. He loved nights like that, just the three of them, hanging out at home. It warmed Aaron's heart seeing his son so happy. Olivia had come into their lives during a rough period, immediately after Haley's passing, and it surprised Aaron just how fast Jack got attached to Olivia. Hell, he even surprised himself at how fast he became so comfortable around her. Now, three years later, he couldn't imagine their lives without her.

Once at home, they started getting everything ready. With Jack's help, Aaron took everything out of the bags and placed it on the coffee table. Next, and at Jack's suggestion, they went and got a few blankets to place on the floor in front of the fireplace and to cover themselves with, plus a few pillows. Aaron put Jack in charge of placing everything on the floor at his taste, to which Jack took as this huge responsibility and it took a while until he decided it was perfect.

While Jack was busy with the blankets and pillows, Aaron went to put the marshmallows in a bowl and started getting the hot chocolate ready. He had decided to only start on the fireplace once Jack was ready, so there wouldn't be any accidents.

As soon as Jack was done, Aaron placed a few wood logs in the fireplace and lit it up. When the fireplace was at full force, he could feel the warmth spreading through out the apartment. Looking back at Jack, he saw his son had the biggest smile ever. He couldn't help but be amazed at how resilient his son was. Even after they had been through, Jack was still able to see the good in the world and that made Aaron incredibly proud and happy.

Olivia had texted him, telling him that she was just five minutes away, so Aaron decided that that would be a good time to serve Jack and himself some hot chocolate. Going back into the kitchen, he filled two mugs with hot chocolate, with a few small marshmallows and chocolate shavings on top.

Bringing them back to the blanket, he handed one to Jack, warning him that it was hot, and just rested his back against the couch, waiting for Olivia to arrive, Jack sitting next to him, blowing on his hot chocolate. She shouldn't be long and he knew she was going to be happily surprised when she saw what they were doing for the rest of the day.

It was just a few minutes later, when he heard the sound of a key chain and their front door opening. Looking over the couch, he saw Olivia walking in the apartment and the smile that was on her lips. He smiled back and patted the blanket next to him. "Let the relaxation begin.", he thought, still looking at Olivia as she made her way towards them.


	36. Fireplace (part 2)

**Prompt: Fireplace (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x OFC (Olivia) / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

As soon as Olivia walked out of the elevator, the unmistakable smell of a fireplace burning hit her like a wave. "Someone lit up their fireplace.", she thought fondly with a smile. She always loved fireplaces: the smell of the wood burning; the warmth it spread through the house; the memories people created around them. When she and Aaron were looking for an apartment to move into together, her only request was that it had to had a fireplace. And Aaron was more than happy to oblige to her request.

She had left a few hours earlier. She needed to go to her office and pick up a few papers she needed for this big meeting across town the next morning and it should've been a quick in-and-out type of thing. However, once she was there, it felt like everyone needed her for something. Eventually, she had to say enough and leave, otherwise she would've stayed there the whole afternoon.

Pulling her keys from her bag, she opened the door and the sight before her was heartwarming. Sitting on the floor, Aaron and Jack had a mug in their hands and huge smiles on their faces. She had to smile as well. That's when she saw that Aaron had lit the fireplace. Looking back at him, she saw him patting the blanket next to him. She took her shoes off and made her way towards where her boys were.

Sitting on the floor next to Aaron, she felt him snake his arm around her waist and pull her closer, kissing her once she was close enough. Kissing him back, she tasted the hot chocolate and marshmallows on his lips. Breaking the kiss, she couldn't help but lick her lips at the taste. Jack wanted to say hello as well, so he climbed over his dad's lap, landing on hers sideways, making her laugh. Kissing him all over his little cheeks, she could hear him laugh which made her kiss him even more.

Olivia loved that boy with every fiber in her body. She loved them both so much, to the point where she would give her life for both of them. Even though Jack wasn't biologically hers, it was as if he was, since she loved him as if he was. But that didn't mean that she was trying to replace Haley, not by a long shot. Every night, they would light a candle and Jack would talk to Haley, or Aaron would tell him stories of Haley from before he was born or from when he was too little to remember. Olivia knew that it was important that Jack wouldn't forget Haley, so she did everything she could to keep her memory alive for him. It always amazed her seeing how loving Aaron was with Jack, always making sure that he knew his dad loved him more than anything.

It was that loving side of Aaron that made Olivia fall in love with him in the first place. Add to that him being kind, funny, caring and protective, amongst other qualities and she was head over heels in love with the man. And now, four years later, she couldn't be happier.

Olivia felt Aaron getting up from next to her and moving towards the kitchen. Aaron returned a few minutes later with a mug filled with hot chocolate, a few small marshmallows and chocolate shavings on top. Her and Jack's favorite. Jack saw his dad come in with the mug and moved away to where his father had been previously sitting so Olivia could drink her hot chocolate.

She took the mug from Aaron, thanking him before taking a sip from it. Aaron sat on the other side of Jack, his arm wrapping itself around his shoulders, with his hand resting on her shoulder, softly caressing it. She could feel the love coming from both of them and she wished they could stay like that forever.

The day dragged on, with them roasting marshmallows on the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate and talking and laughing. It was long pass Jack's bedtime when they decided to go to bed, after all, both Aaron and Olivia had to go to work the next morning.

Placing Jack in his bed, they both kissed his forehead and wished him a good night, after lighting a candle and talking to Haley. Moving to their bedroom, they went on with their respective nighttime routines and got in bed, Olivia snuggling on Aaron's side with his arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

"Perfect way to end a perfect weekend.", she thought before drifting off to sleep.


	37. Ugly Sweater (part 1)

**Prompt: Ugly Sweater (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

Natasha wasn't like most women. Going shopping wasn't something she enjoyed that much. But when Alice, Tony's girlfriend, told her that she was going shopping for an ugly sweater to gift to Tony, as a joke, she couldn't possible deny herself the pleasure of messing with him, even if it was through his girlfriend.

As a group, this year they had decided to take Alice's suggestion and find an ugly sweater for each other. She had already bought one for Clint online and she knew Clint had bought hers, so all she had to do was wait to see what the other Avengers had bought for each other. But when Alice asked her to help find one for Tony, well, that was something she was more than willing to help with.

Alice picked her up the day before after lunch. They were going to search the nearby mall for the sweater. Nat was on a mission to find the ugliest sweater possible. Alice must had realized it because she told her that she was leaving the final decision up to Nat, to which she received the biggest smile she had ever given her.

They searched in every store that sold ugly sweaters for that perfect one, but Nat still hadn't found what she was looking for. They saw sweaters with drunk elves, reindeers and Santa's on them. They saw sweaters that had cartoon characters dressed as Santa. They even saw one with Tony on it, dressed as Santa, but she quickly turned that one down. It would just boost his ego even more.

Both Nat and Alice were losing hope of finding the right ugly sweater to gift Tony. Walking into the last store, Nat was already sure that they weren't going to find what they were looking for, but as they were about to leave, from the corner of her eye, she saw the unthinkable.

Right there, was the ugliest sweater she had ever seen. It was perfect. There was no way Tony could pull that off. Looking back at Alice, she saw her laughing like mad, tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. Just imagining Tony dressed in that sweater was enough to turn Nat into a giggling mess.

Nat picked it up and took a good look at it. "Yep, this is the one.", she thought, still trying to control herself. Alice was now next to her, trying to catch her breath, but failing miserably, since the thought of Tony wearing that was still very present in her mind. Their eyes met and, without saying a word, they both nodded in agreement that it was perfect.

Making their way to the front of the store, they stood in line, waiting to buy the sweater that would certainly send everyone to the floor, rolling with laughter. That's when Alice went a step further. Looking around, she spotted some Christmas headbands. She giggled to herself as she chose the one that would match the sweater in Nat's hand. Nat knew then what Alice was thinking and started giggling again. "I knew I liked her for a reason.", she thought, impressed with Alice's twisted sense of humor.

It was their turned in line. Placing the sweater and headband on the counter for the cashier to see them, it was funny to see how even the cashier couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the ensemble. The cashier scanned both items and told them their final amount. Pulling out her wallet, Alice was going to pay for everything when Nat offered to pay for half. After all, they both had chosen the sweater and headband, it was only fair that Nat would cover half of the bill.

They made their way out of the store, both still laughing. Alice thanked her for her help and for paying for half, telling her that she would pay her back. When Nat denied, Alice said that she was going to tell Tony that it was a gift from both of them. It didn't seem fair that she would be the only one taking credit for the amazingness that was that ensemble.

Nat laughed, but agreed. She couldn't help but imagine Tony's face when he has to wear it. It would totally make it worth having to go shopping in a crowded mall. Nat realized then that she actually ended up enjoying going to the mall. She didn't know if it was because she considered it a mission or if it was because she was with Alice, but she really enjoyed it nonetheless.

They drove back to Stark Tower. Now, Nat couldn't wait for the next day to come so she, and the rest of the Avengers, could see Tony in this crazy, little ensemble that she and Alice had put together. "Oh, this is going to be fun.", she thought, with a devilish smile on her lips.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	38. Ugly Sweater (part 2)

**Prompt: Ugly Sweater (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Tony Stark x OFC (Alice) / Fandom: Marvel**

Tony had been dreading that day since Alice had come up with the idea. Don't get him wrong, he loved the woman to death, but sometimes she could put the fear of God in him. He knew that the ugly sweater idea was a bad one, simply because it would make all of them easy targets for each other. Who knew what kind of sweaters they would show up with.

He had already bought Alice's sweater. It wasn't that ugly, it had a cat's head, with a Santa's hat, that said "Meowy Christmas". It was more cute than ugly, even he knew that, but he wasn't going to get his girlfriend an ugly sweater. If only he could say the same for her. He knew Alice would go out of her way to find the ugliest sweater possible, but he definitely wasn't counting on her enlisting Natasha's help.

It was after dinner when they decided to trade sweaters. Alice told everyone to go first, that they would go last. That just increased his anxiety. He knew his girlfriend's sense of humor, so he knew she would have gone to extreme lengths to find the perfect ugly sweater. Add Natasha to the mix and you had the perfect recipe to give him a heart attack.

Alice had only one rule: they all had to wear the sweaters and accessories that came with it for at least two hours. Those would end up to be the longest two hours of his life. Seeing everyone laughing and teasing each other's about their respective sweaters, made Tony thought that maybe, just maybe, the girls had gone easy on him. Oh, how wrong he was.

It was finally their turn. Tony went first. He gave Alice the sweater, neatly wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. She tore through the paper and smiled when she saw the design he went with. He had added a feathered cat toy to the sweater, just to mess with her a little. She pulled it over her head and showed it to everyone. Pictures were taken and compliments were given, and before he knew it, it was his turn.

Alice grabbed two nicely wrapped presents, one smaller than the other. She told him that it was from her and Nat, since she had helped Alice choose exactly what to give him. She also told him to start with the bigger one, leaving the smaller one for last. "It will make sense in the end, I promise.", she had said to him, a glim of mischief in her eyes.

When he opened the first one, he gasped at the sight before him and quickly tried to hide it from the others. "No, nope. I'm not wearing this atrocity.", he said, shaking his head, trying to get away from wearing it. But the look on Alice's face said it all. Either he would wear it voluntarily or she would force him. He had no other choice. Pulling the sweater over his shirt for everyone to see, it was only a matter of seconds before the room erupted into laughter.

The sweater had the texture of a fake Christmas tree, it looked like a fake Christmas tree and it was decorated as such. The only thing missing was the star on top. That's when Tony looked back at Alice and saw the small package that he had completely forgotten about. "She wouldn't.", he thought, hoping and praying that she hadn't gone that far.

Unfortunately for him, she had. In that small package was a headband that had a Christmas star on top and he was going to have to wear it. Alice helped him put the headband on and gave him a short, sweet kiss, whispering a "thank you" before moving away. And as soon as she moved away, all he saw were flashes of light. Everyone was taking pictures and there was nothing he could do about it.

After a while, he warmed up to the sweater. It was the ugliest thing he had ever seen but he decided to own it. Seeing Alice happy was all that he cared about and if seeing him in the ridiculous sweater and headband made her happy, then why not have fun with it.

"Next time, I'll get them.", he thought, already planning his revenge on both Alice and Natasha.


	39. Secret Santa (part 1)

**Prompt: Secret Santa (part 1)**

 **Pairing: Steve McGarrett x OFC (Autumn) / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

The day for the team's Secret Santa was fast approaching and Steve had yet to buy his gift. It had been Kono's idea and, despite his early objections, he realized that it would be a good team exercise, after some convincing from both Kono and Danny. They all decided to pick the names from a hat and, of course, he had to take Kono's.

He had been struggling with what to buy her since he saw her name on that little piece of paper and even more as time went by. At first, he thought of getting her a second gun, one she could wear on her ankle or even as her personal gun, but was quickly shut down by his girlfriend, Autumn. As she so pointedly reminded him, the gifts had a price limit, so he was back at square one. That's when he decided to enlist Autumn's help and see if she could help him buy a gift for Kono.

Autumn had dragged him to the local mall to browse the stores and see if they saw something they both thought would be a good gift for Kono. So, that's where he was, walking around the mall through a sea of people, his arm wrapped tight around Autumn's waist and not having a clue what to buy.

Every once in a while, Autumn would give a suggestion but after thinking about it, they would both decide against it. Passing through a surfing store, Autumn thought it would be a good idea to give Kono something surf related, after all, she had been a professional surfer when she was younger and would still hit the waves every chance she could get.

Walking inside the store and after browsing for a while, they were both certain that they had found something that Kono would like. It wasn't nothing too expensive or flashy, instead being something that Steve knew that Kono would need.

Kissing Autumn, Steve lead her to the front of the store to pay for the item they had chosen, his arm still perfectly locked around her waist. They paid for the gift, having it wrapped in the store and made their way back into the hustle and bustle of the mall's hallways.

Once they had moved away from the front of the store, Steve pulled Autumn close and kissed her, thanking her for helping him chose Kono's gift. She told him that that was something that girlfriends did and that made him smile. He still couldn't believe that he got to call her his girlfriend.

They had only been together for a few months, but that didn't stop him from already loving her deeply. They had known each other since they were kids and he had always had a bit of a crush on her, so for her to be by his side now, it was beyond full-circle for them.

When they first reconnected, it was like no time had passed at all. They would text each other out of the blue, just to tell the other about some joke they had heard or about something they had remembered from when they were kids. At lunch time, they would call just to check in and to set something for after work. It didn't take long for Danny and Lou to start teasing Steve about it, but he didn't care.

It wasn't until Kono pointed out to him, after a particularly emotionally difficult case, that she had never seen Steve as happy as he's been since he reconnected with Autumn, that he realized that she was right. It was then that he had decided that he was going to ask Autumn out on a date. Her answer was fairly simple: "What took you so long?". He still chuckled every time he remembered that moment.

Now, just a few months later, he was sure he had never been as in love with someone as he was with Autumn. She meant everything to him and he knew he would go to hell and back for her. Looking back at her, Steve kissed the side of her head and pulled her closer. She had felt his grip on her tighten and it made her look back at him, a smile on her lips.

Walking around the mall, making their way back to his truck through the crowd, Steve couldn't help but think that, for him, Christmas had come earlier.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	40. Secret Santa (part 2)

**Prompt: Secret Santa (part 2)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Hawaii 5-O**

It was Secret Santa day and everyone was beyond ready to exchange gifts. It had been a boring as hell day in the office and they could use something to pull them out of the boredom that they were all feeling. Gathering around a table by Kamekona's shrimp truck, they ordered a round of beers and got ready for what was about to come.

When the beers arrived at the table, Kono decided to go first, since it had been her idea. She showed everyone who her Secret Santa was and it was Danny. She said that, at first, she had no idea what to get him, but then it just popped into her head the perfect gift for him. Kono then placed a flat box, neatly wrapped, in front of him and waited.

Danny picked it up and examined it, shaking it, just like a kid would do. Ripping the paper off, he placed the box back on the table and opened the lid. He immediately laughed, saying that he deserved it. Inside the box was a few ties with some designs on them. When Danny pulled them off of the box, that's when everyone understood what he meant by "he deserved it" and started laughing as well, for the designs on the ties were in fact surfboards.

After a few teasing comments, it was Danny's turn. His Secret Santa was Lou and he told him that his gift had been a no brainer. Handing a small box to him, Danny told him that he hoped he liked it. Lou opened the box and inside saw a set of golf balls with some pins as well, all in different colors, some as garish as neon pink. Lou thanked him and showed his gift to everyone.

Being the next, Lou pulled a bag from under the table and placed it on the table. He told everyone that his Secret Santa was Chin and that now that Chin had a daughter, his gift was meant to keep him safe. Chin took the bag from Lou and looked inside, a smile spreading on his lips. Pulling it out, he showed the team a black bike helmet that had Abby and Sara's name engraved on the bottom. Chin hugged Lou and thanked him.

It was Chin's turn. Chin looked at Steve and said that he was his Secret Santa and that he knew exactly what to give him. Placing the bag that had been sitting on the bench next to him on the table, he slid it towards Steve and waited. Steve opened the bag and pulled a frame out, but when he saw what it was, he couldn't help but be moved at his friend's gesture. In the frame was John's, Steve's dad, old HPD badge, perfectly placed against a black velvet backdrop, with his father's name written in calligraphy under it. Chin told him that he had had help from Autumn in getting the badge. Steve stood up and hugged his friend tight.

Steve was the last one. Taking a small box and placing it in front of Kono, he said that he had a hard time finding something to give her, but that, with the help from Autumn, he hoped she would like it. Kono opened the box and inside found a set of surfboard fins, one black and one pink. And next to it was a brass knuckle, something that reminded him of the first time they had met her. Kono laughed at the memory and thanked him.

Steve looked around at his team and his heart filled with happiness. Everyone was happy and smiling and laughing. Sure, some gifts were a bit more personal than others, but all reminded them of each other. Danny's inability to surf and love for ties, Lou's golfing, Chin's bike and new family, Steve's dad and Kono's surfing days and their first meeting, it was all things that made them who they were and, despite their differences, made them so close.

He had to agree with Kono, this had been a good idea. Maybe next year they could do it again, making it something to bring a bit of light into the dark days that they so often had in their line of work. "Yeah, this was definitely a good idea.", he thought.


	41. Wrong Gift (part 1)

**Prompt: Wrong Gift (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

It was Bucky's first Christmas since he came back from the dead, so Steve wanted to make it special for him. With the help from Elizabeth, his girlfriend, he went to extensive lengths to make it so. The tree was up, decorations were placed all around the apartment and presents were placed on the floor surrounding the tree.

Steve and Elizabeth decided that it would be fun to exchange a gift before Christmas morning, just to make things a bit different, to make their own traditions. They spoke to Bucky about it and, even though he was slightly worried about having to go and buy presents, with the help of Elizabeth and Steve, he was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was to go out and interact with new people.

Steve called Bucky into the living room, while Elizabeth was in the kitchen making hot chocolate for them. It was time to exchange their first presents. Sitting on the floor, just like they used to when they were kids, they waited patiently for Elizabeth to join them.

She joined them a few minutes later, carrying the mugs and gave each one their respective mugs, before sitting on the floor beside them. They talked and laughed for a while, catching up for a moment before exchanging presents. Steve couldn't help but smile fondly as he saw the two most important people in his life getting along as if they have known each other for as long as he was alive.

Pulling two neatly wrapped boxes from under the tree, Steve handed them to Bucky and Elizabeth. She signaled for Bucky to go first and he saw his best friend carefully unwrapping his present. Putting the paper to the side, Bucky set the box on his lap and lifted the lid. Steve was hoping Bucky would like it, but he wasn't ready for his friend's reaction.

Once Bucky lifted that lid, he knew that Steve had made a mistake and gave him the wrong box. A heartfelt laugh left his lips and he quickly turned to Steve to see him looking like a deer in headlights. Pulling himself together, he said that, even though he liked the color, he didn't think that it would fit him.

Steve looked confused and lost for a moment, not sure what Bucky meant, until it hit him. He must've mixed up the boxes, since they were the same size, and gave Elizabeth's present to Bucky and vice-versa. He went red as a tomato realizing his mistake, because inside of that box was a black, lacy lingerie set. Not what he had wanted to give Bucky at all.

Bucky said that he was sure that that gift was meant for Elizabeth, and seeing her confused look, he decided to lift the lingerie set by its very thin straps to show her. That sent Elizabeth rolling on the floor, laughing uncontrollably, picturing Bucky wearing it. He saw Steve turned another shade of red and he couldn't stop laughing at his reaction.

Stuttering, Steve tried apologizing and explain the mix up, but it was to no avail. He had lost them. It took a while for both Bucky and Elizabeth to calm down, a giggle escaping now and then from Elizabeth, followed by a chuckle from Bucky. Elizabeth tried reassuring Steve that it was okay, but he was still a bit mortified at the whole situation.

Bucky told Elizabeth that, since he had opened her present, it was only fair that she would open his. Elizabeth nodded and ripped the paper from the box and opened it. Inside the box was a baseball glove and two baseballs, one of them signed by players from back when they were kids. Elizabeth smiled at the thought behind that present and gave the box to Bucky.

Taking the box from Elizabeth, he was amazed with his gift. Hugging Steve, he thanked him and promised to go out one day and play catch with him. Elizabeth hugged and kissed Steve on the cheek, thanking him and telling him that she loved her gift as well.

Steve smiled at both of them, thanking God that, despite the mix up, they both had liked their gifts. He saw Bucky trying out his new glove and smiling at the memories that it brought him. Steve knew he had made the right choice. Seeing both his best friend and his girlfriend being so comfortable with each other that, not even Bucky seeing a lingerie set meant for Elizabeth made them uncomfortable, warmed his heart.

They exchanged the rest of the gifts meant for that night and then just sat there, talking and laughing, occasionally teasing Steve for the mix up, but overall just enjoying each other's company. Bucky looked at Steve and Elizabeth and thanked God for having such amazing friends in his life.

"Perfect first Christmas back.", he thought, while laughing at a joke that Steve was telling.


	42. Wrong Gift (part 2)

**Prompt: Wrong Gift (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Elizabeth) / Fandom: Marvel**

Steve was laying in bed, waiting for Elizabeth, his girlfriend, to join him. They had been together for about two years and she was the light of his life. They met when she moved into the apartment across the hall from him and, after a few months, he finally had the courage to ask her out. Two years later and he knew he had met the love of his life.

Christmas was fast approaching and he had a special gift for her, but he knew he couldn't wait that long. He was going to propose to her with his mother's ring, one of the few things he still held on to from his past. He wanted to make it special, make it something to remember, he was old fashion like that, but he also knew Elizabeth. No matter where or how he would propose, she would love it. He decided then that he was going to propose to her that night.

Elizabeth walked in the room, wearing flannel pjs, her hair tied up in a messy bun, and, to him, she looked as beautiful as always. She laid next to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, and he pulled her close. He felt her snuggling on his side and he could feel himself starting to get nervous.

They had talked about marriage and kids, so he knew it was something she wanted. But more important, she wanted that with him. Clearing his throat, he told her he needed to talk to her. Reaching into the nightstand's drawer, he pulled the small box out and laid on his side so he could be face to face with her, seeing her smiling face looking back at him, with stars in her eyes. "God, I love this woman.", he thought.

He started by saying that he loved her and that there was nothing that would ever change that. He told her that he never thought he could find someone that would make him as happy as she made him. He said that he had wanted to do this for a while but was waiting for the perfect moment. That's when he gave her the box and asked her if she wanted to marry him.

Steve saw Elizabeth smile big, tears in her eyes as she said the word he was hoping and praying she would say. "Yes, yes.", she said, hugging and kissing him passionately. They both chuckle and he then told her to opened the small box. Elizabeth opened the small box, but her reaction was not what he had expected.

For a second, Elizabeth looked confused and then started laughing. "What in the world?", he thought, before she turned the box towards him. That's when he saw it. Inside the box, instead of being his mother's ring, was a pair of cufflinks that were meant as a gift for Sam. When pulling the box out, in the dark, he must've picked up the wrong box.

Steve got flustered, sitting up quickly, turning the light on and opening the drawer to retrieve the right box. He wouldn't stop apologizing, telling her how sorry he was and that he had meant what he had said. Elizabeth just sit up on the bed next to him and kissed him, telling him that it was okay and that it turned out to be a funny story to tell people when they asked how he proposed.

Steve couldn't help but smile. He felt like the luckiest man in the world for having such an amazing and understanding woman in his life. He opened the box, the right one, and pulled the ring out and placed it on her finger, telling her that it belonged to his mother and that he hoped she liked it.

Elizabeth smiled, looking at the ring, and told him that she loved it. Kissing him softly, she whispered an "I love you." and he said the same to her. Laying back down, Steve turned the light off and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

He felt on cloud nine and he could feel that Elizabeth was feeling the same way. Sure, the proposal didn't go as smoothly as he had wanted, but she was right. It would make a funny story to tell their friends when they ask how he proposed. Despite that little hiccup, he knew that he had made the right choice. He loved her more than anything and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life by her side.


	43. Presents (part 1)

**Prompt: Presents (part 1)**

 **Pairing: Oliver Queen x OFC (Alyssa) / Fandom: Arrow**

Oliver hated Christmas shopping. Mostly because he never knew what to buy for the people on his list. If it was for his family, sure, he knew exactly what to get them, but, for anyone else, his knowledge ended there. This year was no different.

Alyssa, his fiancé, had decided that it would be nice if he bought a few presents for the members of Team Arrow. At first, he asked her to take care of that, but after some insistence from her, he agreed to do it himself. Even if he had no idea what to get them.

She had made him a list with the names of everyone and told him that, before going out and buying anything, he needed to decide what to get each one of them. That way, it would make shopping easier and faster. Oliver must've stared at the piece of paper that had the names of his friends for hours, before Alyssa came and helped him.

Alyssa made it look easy, all she did was ask him a couple of questions and soon enough they had a present list all worked out. It was something very typical of her. Whenever he would be struggling with something, whatever it was, she would ask him a few questions and he would solve whatever problem he was having trouble with.

It had been like that since the moment he met her. Alyssa had this gift of making things simpler, just by asking a few questions. It was what attracted him to her in the first place. Combine that with her smile, her sense of humor and her kind heart, and he was smitten with her within a few months of knowing her.

When he realized that he had fallen in love with her, he immediately pulled back. She was so full of life, always with a smile on her face, that he was afraid that if he would be lucky enough to be with her, he would taint her with his darkness. She didn't deserve that, no one did, so for a while he kept her at arm's length.

But that didn't last long. The more he tried to stay away, the more he was pulled in to her. It took him almost a year to finally ask her out and when he did, he was concerned that something might happen that would ruin it. But nothing happened and he aloud himself to actually be happy.

For the next two years, she was there by his side, through thick and thin, always seeing the good in every bad situation they would find themselves in. When she almost died at the hands of Damien Darkh, he was sure she was going to leave him, having had enough of constantly being in the crosshairs of people who wanted to hurt him, one way or the other.

However, even after that, she stayed and kept her upbeat attitude through it all. That's when he knew. She was going to be stuck with him for the rest of her life, hopefully. It was almost a year ago, when, while trading Christmas presents, he gave her a box that had an engagement ring inside. He proposed to her that night and it was the best decision he had ever made.

Now, they were starting a new tradition. Walking around the local mall, buying everyone's presents, he couldn't help but look at her smiling face and smile as well. She loved making people around her feel loved and cared for. Just like she felt. And it warmed his heart knowing that he was engaged to this amazing woman.

Oliver saw the excitement in her eyes once all the presents had been bought. She couldn't wait for everyone's reaction to his gifts. He could tell she was nervous as well, probably wondering if they will like the presents. Oliver knew that every present was bought with them in mind, specifically, so she had nothing to worry about.

Now, it was just a matter of actually giving them the presents. Preferably, without being interrupted to go and save the city. "I sure hope this goes well, for her sake.", Oliver thought, kissing the top of her head as they made their way back to his car.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	44. Presents (part 2)

**Prompt: Presents (part 2)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Arrow**

Oliver had texted the team to meet him and Alyssa in the bunker. Their first thought, without a doubt, had been that something was going on and that they needed to save the city, yet again. Oliver hadn't been specific in his text and he knew that they were probably thinking the worst. He hoped that once he explained what was going on, they wouldn't kill him for worrying them unnecessarily.

Felicity and Diggle were the first ones to arrive, closely followed by Curtis and Dinah, Laurel bringing in the rear. Oliver and Alyssa stood next to each other in the conference room, the bags with the presents placed on the chairs next to them, all identified with each member's name, and with smiles on their faces.

Oliver called them over as soon as they walked in the bunker. He told everyone that there was no crisis, but that he wanted to talk to them about something. He started by saying how much they meant to him and Alyssa, both as partners in fighting crime, but, more important than that, as friends.

Looking back at Diggle, he told him how much he treasured his friendship since the beginning and how without him, he would probably be dead by then and never would've had the chance of meeting Alyssa. That's when Alyssa handed him a box destined for Diggle. As he gave the box to Diggle, he said that it was just a little something to show him how much he cares about him and his friendship.

Diggle took the box from Oliver, and before he opened it, he pulled Oliver into a hug and thanked him. Diggle looked at the perfectly wrapped box and ripped the paper to uncover its contents. Inside was a gun case and inside of that was a .45 M1911 Colt. He knew this gun all too well. It was a gun that was handed to service men all over the world as part of their standard gear and it had been used ever since World War 1. Diggle thanked Oliver again and moved to give Alyssa a hug as well.

Oliver then moved on to Felicity, telling her how important she is to the both of them, since she was the one who introduced Oliver to Alyssa in the first place. Without her, they wouldn't be together and, just like with Diggle, he wouldn't be alive. Grabbing a box from Alyssa, he handed it to Felicity and thanked her, giving her a hug.

Felicity hugged him back, taking the box from him and thanking him. Opening the box, she saw inside something he had promised her way back in the beginning of them knowing each other: a bottle of 1982 Lafite Rothschild red wine. She squealed after seeing the bottle. She thanked and hugged them both, completely ignoring the chuckles that her squeal had caused.

Laurel was next. Oliver pointed out how happy he was that she was on their side and how she had become so close to Alyssa. He thanked her for helping them and for always being there for either of them when they needed. He took the box that Alyssa was giving him and gave it to Laurel, hugging her as well.

Laurel hugged him back, thanking him, and proceeded with opening her present. Inside was a gold-plated statue of Lady Justice holding her scales. She smiled, knowing exactly where that would go on her desk. Hugging them both, she thanked them and kept admiring her present.

Oliver then pointed to Curtis. Telling him how he was grateful to have him on the team, despite his own initial resistance, and for all the help he had given them. He knew they didn't know each other as well as Diggle, Felicity and Laurel, but he considered him a friend nonetheless. Oliver then handed him his present, getting a hug in return as well as a thank you.

Curtis carefully unwrapped the rather large box and opened it, revealing inside a framed autographed complete suit of the wrestler Mr. Terrific, his childhood crush and the inspiration behind his vigilante name. Curtis couldn't believe his eyes. He thanked Oliver and Alyssa and hugged them both tight.

Finally, it was Dinah's turn. Oliver told her how lucky they all were to have her with them and how they all considered her a friend. He also thanked her for helping save Alyssa's life when she almost died. Giving her the box Alyssa had handed him, he thanked her again and hugged her.

Dinah hugged him back, not really sure how to react to what Oliver had just said. She thanked him and started ripping the paper away. Inside her box was a gun case, much similar to Diggler's, and inside was a DoubleTap Back-Up Deringer Pistol .45. The gun in itself was small, perfect to wear in an inner-thigh holster, whenever she needed a backup gun while going undercover using a dress. It was perfect. She thanked them both and kept admiring her new gun.

Oliver thanked them all once again for everything they had done, for him and for Alyssa. They stayed for a little while longer, admiring each other's presents, talking and laughing. Oliver took a look around and realized Alyssa was right. It felt great doing something like this for their friends. "To new traditions.", he thought, before wrapping his arm around Alyssa's waist and talking to Felicity about that bottle of red wine.


	45. Mistletoe (part 1)

**Prompt: Mistletoe (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

John had found it by chance, during an off-world mission, and it was perfect. A plant so similar to Earth's mistletoe that it could pass for it. After talking with the city's botanists to make sure it was perfectly safe, he went back to that world and picked a sac full of it. He had a plan and he was determined to see it through.

He talked to Elizabeth, making sure she was okay with it and after getting her stamp of approval, he set out to put his plan into action. Grabbing the sac that contained the mistletoe-like plant from the botanic department, he set out to find every open balcony in the city.

He knew that every couple in the city had chosen those balconies for their meetings, so he thought that it was a good idea to start there. Armed with a ladder, some glue and the sac, he started placing the mistletoe strategically in two points of the balcony: one above the benches that they all had and the other above the opening to the exterior.

But he decided to take it a little further and using the rest of the mistletoe, he glued it to the ceiling of the transporters, just for kicks. He worked all through the night, trying to avoid the night shift as much as possible so no one could spoil his surprise.

Taking a final walk through all the places he had set the mistletoe up, he felt proud at what he had achieved in just one night. The city was big, but he managed to cover all the places he had set out to place the mistletoe in. He couldn't wait for everyone's reaction the next morning.

He even managed to place some in McKay's lab, just to mess with him. He knew he would hear an earful if McKay ever found out who was responsible for that, but until then he was just going to enjoy seeing a very flustered and pissed off Rodney McKay trying to figure out who had that brilliant idea.

However, there was one couple in particular he couldn't wait to see if the mistletoe would help. Major Evan Lorne, his second-in-command, and Dr. Zoey Hall, one of the medical doctors, had been pinning over each other for months and, even though they had been on a couple of dates, nothing had really come out of it.

He knew they both liked each other and it was obvious for everyone around them, however they just wouldn't take that so necessary step to take it to the next level. Evan wasn't sure of how she felt for him and Zoey was just shy, so he believed that with the right encouragement, maybe they would see what everyone saw.

John knew his friend, he knew the man would never try and be to upfront with her so she wouldn't feel pressured, so he thought that maybe, just maybe, the mistletoe would help. His best bet was the transporters. It wasn't uncommon for them to take it, that's partially why he placed it there, all he needed was to get them in the same transporter at the same time. And that was going to be a challenge.

The dawn was breaking and he knew he still had a few hours before his shift started, so he decided to get some sleep, while still trying to come up with an idea to help his friend. It wasn't gonna be easy but he was certain he was going to be able to come up with something.

Walking in his room, he laid on his bed and closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep. "Lorne better give me a freaking medal afterwards, if this works.", he thought before drifting off to sleep.


	46. Mistletoe (part 2)

**Prompt: Mistletoe (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Zoey) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Evan woke up that morning, completely unaware of how his day was about to turn into one of his best days ever. After getting ready, he made his way to the locker rooms to report for duty. All the teams were already there and so was Sheppard. He heard Sheppard give their respective assignments and realized he was to stay in Atlantis. He didn't mind, he liked being in the city.

The morning passed by without any major incidents, just a couple of quarrels between scientists and a couple of teams coming in. He did notice, however, that some rooms in Atlantis had mistletoe hung in them, like the open balconies and Dr. McKay's lab. Evan wondered who might have had that idea, but he was just grateful it wasn't him after seeing how pissed Dr. McKay had gotten when he saw the mistletoe in his lab.

Lunch came and went, and when he was just ten minutes away from clocking out, he received a message from Sheppard through his earpiece. He was supposed to meet with Dr. Hall at one of the transporters and meet him in the south tower.

Knowing he was going to see Zoey made his heart skip a beat. He was in love with the doctor, and even though they had been in a couple of dates, nothing ever happened beyond that. He could tell she was shy and he wasn't sure of how she really felt about him, so he never pushed, resigning himself to the role of friend. But he had to admit, she owned his heart and there wasn't anything that he could do about it. Not that he wanted to anyway.

Meeting Zoey half way to the transporter, he saw her blush when he greeted her and he thought she looked adorable. Asking her if Sheppard had told her what that was all about, she told him that she had no idea. All she was told by Dr. Beckett was that she was to meet someone from Sheppard's team there and go to the south tower.

Evan nodded in understanding, knowing that whatever it was, they would be ready for it. Looking at her from the corner of his eye, he could tell she was slightly nervous. He thought it must have had something to do with the unknown of their mission, so he told himself that, whatever happened, he was going to protect her with his life. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to the woman he loved.

They got to the transporter and Evan radioed Sheppard that they were about to enter it. Sheppard gave him his okay and signed off. Walking inside the transporter, Evan felt an unfamiliar scent hit his nose, but he didn't pay much attention to it. He saw Zoey touch the location they were supposed to go on the screen, but then, nothing happened.

Zoey tried again and still nothing. Evan attempted at opening the doors but to no luck. Radioing Sheppard, he told him that they were stuck in the transporter. The damn thing wasn't moving or opening its doors and he was asking him to try and open them remotely.

That's when Sheppard told him something that, at first, made no sense to him. "Look up, buddy.", he heard Sheppard say, a clear smile in his voice. It took Evan a second to fully register what he had said and when it did, he did as he was told. Looking up, he got confused as to what exactly he was seeing. Only when he heard Zoey scoff slightly and looked back at her and then back at the ceiling, did he fully understand.

Just above their heads was a piece of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and he now understood everything. Why Sheppard looked so tired during the morning briefing, why McKay had mistletoe hanging in his lab, why this sudden mission without any details, why the transporter had that unfamiliar smell and why Zoey was there. Sheppard was trying to kick his butt into telling Zoey how he truly felt about her by getting them stuck in a transporter with some mistletoe hanging above them. "Not fair, Sheppard.", he thought, avoiding eye contact with Zoey as much as possible.

That's when Zoey surprised him. He heard her take a deep breath and call out his name. Looking back at her for the first time since they spotted the mistletoe, he noticed she was blushing and was struggling to tell him something. Once realization hit her that she wasn't going to be able to say what she wanted, instead, she pointed up, told him that it was tradition and waited.

Evan felt his heart stop. Could it be possible that she wanted what he thought she wanted? Well, there was only one way for him to be sure. Taking a deep breath himself, he stepped forward and placed one hand on her lower back, gently pulling her closer to him. Once she was close enough for him to feel her breath on his lips, he leaned in and kissed her.

He felt her kissing him back and deepening the kiss. That's when he knew she loved him too. Pulling away after a few seconds, they both just stood there, their foreheads touching each other. He then heard her say the words he's been dying to hear. "I love you.", she told him, smiling. He kissed her as an answer and then whispered an "I love you" of his own. Evan was on cloud nine, all thanks to Sheppard. "Crap, Sheppard.", he thought, mentally kicking himself for forgetting about him and their situation.

He radioed Sheppard, asking him to unlock the transporter and telling him that Sheppard had accomplished his mission, making Zoey chuckle. "I gotta pay the man a drink for this one.", he thought, just before hearing the doors opening and walking out with Zoey by the hand.


	47. We are Family (part 1)

**Prompt: We are Family (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

It had been Pepper's idea. It would be fun, she had said to him. But just the logistics in itself were a nightmare. How was he supposed to get all of the Avengers, plus their guests and loved ones, under the same roof at the same time, for Christmas? Tony needed a plan and he knew exactly where to start.

His first call was to Rhodey. He knew that he could count on his best friend to help him set everything up. The party and the food were up to Pepper, but the guests were up to him, so enlisting Rhodey's help was a no brainer. He knew all the Avengers as well has he did, so he could definitely help him. He told Rhodey to arrange transportation for everyone that might need it.

After talking to Rhodey and making a game plan, he went on to call Peter. The boy was beyond excited to be able to spent Christmas with the Avengers and was going to bring his aunt May so she could also meet them. It took a while for Tony to be able to hang up and move on to the next person on his list, because Peter was so excited, he wouldn't stop talking about it.

Eventually, he was able to move on to the next person on his list: Bruce. The man had been staying with him at Stark Tower, so finding him and telling him about Pepper's idea was fairly easy. Bruce just asked him if it would be a no stress environment, and if it was, he was more than happy to go. After a few assurances from Tony, it was settled. Bruce would be attending their little get-together.

The next call he made was for Natasha. After a few minutes of banter between them, he told her about Christmas at the Tower and said that she should bring Clint with her, as well as his family, if he wanted to. She thought about it for a second and then told him that she was going to talk to Clint and she would let him know. Tony thanked her and hung up. He still had a lot of calls to make.

Next it was Steve's turn. He knew by calling Captain Rogers, he would be able to kill three birds with one stone. He called Steve and asked him to attend his and Pepper's Christmas evening, telling him that he wanted him to also ask Sam and Bucky as well. Steve told him that it could be fun and that he would love to go, saying that he would talk to Sam and Bucky about it and bring them both with him.

Now that that was done, he video-chatted with Wanda, who was at the compound with Vision, telling her that she was invited, along with Vision of course, to Christmas at the Tower. He told her who was coming so far and she told him that they would be there.

The last call on his list was to Nick Fury. Sure, he wasn't quite certain if he the man would even be able to attend but he had to invite him. After all, it was because of him that they all knew each other. Plus, he was possible the only one who knew where to find Thor. When calling Fury, who actually answered was Agent Hill. Telling her that he wanted to talk to him and what it was about, he took the opportunity to also ask Maria if she would like to join them, since he was gonna tell Fury to tell her anyway.

Maria agreed to go and then transferred him to Fury. After the usual pleasantries, Tony told him about what was going on and asked if he would like to join. To his surprise, Fury told him that he would be there. That's when Tony asked him to see if he could get Thor to join them as well, since he was the only one who could reach him. He told him he was going to see what he could do and hung up.

Leaning back in his chair, Tony took a deep breath and aloud himself to relax since that whole thing started. Thinking back to all the people he had talked to during that day, he came to a realization that made him smile. He now had a family. True, an unconventional one filled with super soldiers, Gods, metahumans and super assassins, but a family none the less.

"One way or the other, we are all family.", he thought with a smile, before leaving his office and going to find Pepper.


	48. We are Family (part 2)

**Prompt: We are Family (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Lisa) / Fandom: Marvel**

It had become a sort of tradition between them. Every time they would all be together, they would try to lift Thor's hammer. It was always fun to see everyone thinking that they had changed and that that would be the time they would be able to lift the hammer. Only this time was slightly different. This time they had encouraged their loved ones to try as well.

Steve looked around the room, seeing smiling faces everywhere, he felt happy and at home. Feeling a hand wrapping itself around his, he looked over to see the smiling face of his wife, Lisa. She looked as beautiful as she did the day they had met. He still had goosebumps every time he would take her hand in his or when he would kiss her.

They had met right after the Battle of New York. Even though it took him a while to ask her on a date, when he finally did, it was the best date he had ever had. She was kind, caring, funny, strong, thoughtful, basically everything he had ever wanted in a woman.

It didn't take long for him to propose. Taking her on a walk through Central Park, he took her to the carousel and while riding it, pop the question. She was stunned, but said yes without any hesitation whatsoever. That's when their adventure together started, from fiancés to married couple and everything in between.

Now, three years later, there they were, together and happy as they had ever been. Taking his hand from hers, he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, feeling her snuggling closer into his side. He let out a sigh of contentment. Nothing could top the happiness he was feeling in that moment.

Steve looked around once more, this time looking at Clint and his children. He had brought them with him, as well as his wife, and was playing around the room with them. Seeing the pure joy that the man had on his face while playing with his kids, made him wonder what would be like to, one day, have kids of his own with Lisa. A smile broke on his lips at the thought.

But the laughs coming from Clint and his kids weren't the only ones being heard. Everyone was having a great time, talking and laughing, telling stories and jokes. He had to give it to Tony and Pepper, this had been a great idea. Taking a swig from his beer, a thought popped into his mind.

These people, these super soldiers, Gods, metahumans, assassins and their loved ones, were all family to him. He would die for them and he knew they would the same for him and his wife. Despite their disagreements and fights, they would always have each other's back, no matter what. And for him, that made them family.

A tug on his arm brought him back to the present. Looking to his side, he saw Lisa signaling him to follow her. Taking him outside to the balcony, Lisa told him that there was something that she needed to tell him. She asked him if he remembered how she had been feeling sick and how she had told him that she was gonna see a doctor that morning. He said he did, trying to sound as calm as possible. The truth was that he was getting nervous.

Lisa had been feeling sick for a few weeks now and no matter what she tried, nothing seemed to help her get better. He did all that he could and, at some point, he started to feel defeated and mad at himself for not being able to help her. If he could help save the world from an alien invasion, he should be able to help his wife feel better from whatever it was that was making her sick.

She then told him what the doctor told her what she had and he couldn't believe it. Could it be possible? He asked her if it was true and when she nodded yes, he didn't think twice and picked her up, kissing her in the process. He was going to be a dad. She then told him that she wanted Bruce to make sure everything was okay with the baby, considering his dad is a super soldier. He agreed, thinking that she had a point. There was no way of telling how the super serum in his body could affect the baby.

They went back inside and, after checking with Lisa if she was okay with it, he cleared his throat and asked for everyone's attention. Once all eyes were on them, he went on to announce their big news. The room erupted in celebratory cheers, with everyone walking over to congratulate them. Steve felt himself wrapped in hugs and when he looked back at Lisa, saw that she was in the same situation.

This had been the best Christmas present she could've possible have given him. "We're about to add one more member to this crazy family.", he thought with a smile, before being engulfed in a tight hug from Bucky and Sam.


	49. Snow Globe (part 1)

**Prompt: Snow Globe (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Arrow**

Oliver had been struggling for a few weeks now. Christmas was fast approaching and he still hasn't found the perfect gift for Camila, his girlfriend. This would be their first Christmas together and he wanted to make sure he would get her something she would love.

Giving up on finding a gift on his own, he decided to ask Felicity for help. Felicity had become Camila's best friend and if anyone would know what he could get for her, that person would be Felicity. The girls had a tight bond and he knew that they knew practically everything about each other, so who better to help him?

Oliver asked Felicity to meet him at "Papa Joe's", a little coffee shop he knew the girls loved. Once there, he sat at a table with Felicity and told her that he needed her help. He said that he was trying to find the perfect gift for Camila but wasn't able to find something that would meet his standards. He thought about jewelry, clothes and even a new car, or maybe a trip abroad, but nothing felt right.

Felicity laughed softly. She told him that, even though those were very nice ideas and she was sure that Camila would love them simply because it came from him, he should think smaller. He must've looked confused because she chuckled at him. She then told him to get her something more personal and with more meaning for her.

Oliver had to be honest, he had no idea what could fit in those criteria. They had been dating for just a few months, there was a lot he was still learning about Camila. He asked Felicity what she had in mind. That's when she told him about a collection Camila has and that she was always looking to expand.

She told him how Camila collected snow globes and how hard it was for her to find new ones. Oliver almost facepalmed himself. How could he had forgotten that? Camila loved that collection. It was something her grandfather had started for her when she was little. Every time he would go out of town, he would come back with a different snow globe, whether from the city he had been in or with some funny or cute scene inside it.

Over the years, and after her grandfather passed away, she tried to keep going, but since she didn't leave the city much, she would have to rely on what the local stores had in stock. Every year, on Christmas, she would buy a new one and added it to her collection. In fact, just a few days before, she had complained that she couldn't found a new one to add and he could tell that that made her sad.

How come he didn't remember it? It would be the perfect gift. Not only would he buy her something that would remind her of them but also of her grandfather. He knew now exactly what snow globe to get her, one he knew she didn't have. Oliver thanked Felicity and after leaving her at home, he started to look for a way to find the snow globe he wanted.

It took a few days and some persuasion, but he found someone who could make him the snow globe he had envisioned. The man told Oliver that it would take a few more days, meaning that it would only be ready on Christmas Eve's morning. It was cutting it a little close, but he could work with that.

Those few days were taking their sweet time to pass. Oliver was growing impatient at the wait. He wanted to make sure he had Camila's gift ready and all wrapped up by Christmas morning, and the fact that the snow globe was still being made, gave him anxiety.

But, just like that, Christmas Eve's morning arrived. Oliver hopped on his bike and drove to the old man's house. The man's wife opened the door and lead him to the workshop. Walking through the house, Oliver saw that the family of the man was all there, ready to celebrate Christmas with him. It made Oliver feel bad to be keeping him from his family just so he could have a gift for Camila.

The man's wife told him that her husband was expecting him and told him to just walk into the workshop. She gave him a last smile and walked away, giving them some privacy. He walked into the workshop and called out for the man. He got an answer and moved towards it. Looking around, he saw shelves filled with snow globes and materials for them.

Finding the man, he saw him polishing the glass dome, giving it some final touches. Oliver looked at the snow globe in the man's hand and smiled. It was exactly what he had in mind. The man showed it to him, from all possible angles, before placing it in a box and wrapping it. Oliver had already paid for the snow globe but he felt the need to give something more to the man.

Eventually, Oliver left the house and, after securing it in his jacket, drove back to his own house. He couldn't wait for Camila to opened it the next morning and see it. Smiling all the way home, he knew that this was going to be a special Christmas.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	50. Snow Globe (part 2)

**Prompt: Snow Globe (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Oliver Queen x OFC (Camila) / Fandom: Arrow**

Christmas Eve had come and gone in the Queen household, filled with laughter, games and conversations. Oliver was happy, happier than he had been in a long time. Not only did he had his family together for Christmas but he also had Camila with him.

It was their first Christmas together and he knew she had been nervous about spending it with his family, but he had reassured her that she would have fun and that his family wasn't as bad as everyone thought. She had bought simple gifts for his family: a tie for Walter, a perfume for his mother and a new party dress for Thea. She second guessed herself with the gifts, she was worried that they might not like it, but he was sure they would and tried reassuring her of that.

It amazed him just how well she had jelled with his family. One minute she was talking with Thea about music and clothes, and the next she would be asking his mother about her philanthropy or Walter about technology. And his family had truly welcomed her into the family. Sure, his mother had some reservations at first, but they were quickly put to rest once she got to know Camila better.

They spent the night talking about everything and anything. No matter the subject, Camila always seemed comfortable talking to them. Even when his mother asked her about her family, she didn't flinch and told them almost everything there was to know about them. As she had said once to him, she had nothing to be embarrassed about her past and wasn't afraid to talk about it. After all, it made her who she was, this strong, independent, determined woman that made him fall in love with her just by being kind and caring. She was one of a kind, that he was sure of.

The night went long and eventually they started feeling that it was time to call it a night. Camila had asked Oliver to call her a cab so she could go home, but his mother had quickly turned that idea down and told her that she could stay in either Oliver's room or one of the guest rooms. He saw Camila blush slightly and thank her for the generosity but trying to decline, claiming that she didn't even had anything to wear to sleep. Thea quickly jumped in and told her that that wasn't a problem, Camila could borrow one of her pajamas.

Oliver saw her looking back at him, almost as if asking if he was okay with her staying there for the night. He told her that he would like for her to stay and if she wanted, she could stay in his room. Camila nodded back at him, smiling, and thanked his mother before agreeing to stay the night.

His mother then said her goodnights, as well as Walter, and went to her room. Oliver wrapped his arm around Camila's waist and gave her a quick kiss on the side of her head, before Thea grabbed her hand and pulled her away so they could go and find a pajama for Camila. Looking back at him with a smile, Camila let Thea guide her through the house towards her room. Eventually, Camila found her way to his room and, after a while of them talking some more, they both fell asleep in each other's arms.

Oliver woke up the next morning with Camila still wrapped in his arms. Waking her up, he told her that they should make their way downstairs so they could open their presents. Camila told him that all she needed was a few minutes to get changed and she would be ready to go. Oliver told her that it was tradition in their house to open presents still in their pjs.

Oliver saw her blushing and shifting slightly under his arm. He could tell that the idea of his family seeing her in pjs was making her uncomfortable. He tried assuring her that it was okay and that she could wear his robe over the pjs, if it made her feel more comfortable. She nodded and they got up, Oliver putting a shirt on and handing Camila his robe.

By the time they got to the living room, everyone was already there. They said their good mornings and then Thea starting asking if they could open the presents already. He couldn't help but laugh at his sister, she looked just like a five-year-old who can't wait to see what Santa had brought her.

Oliver sat on the couch, Camila by his side, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing her head and pulling her closer to him. They watched Thea opened her presents, then his mother and Walter. He saw Camila open hers, surprised that they had actually bought anything for her. He then gave her his present.

It was the smaller box of the bundle, neatly wrapped with a small bow on top. She ripped the paper and opened the box, and when she saw what was inside, tears rose up to her eyes. Inside the box was a costume made snow globe. In the globe was a perfect replica of her favorite photo of her and her grandfather, made with miniature dolls.

A tear fell down her face and a smile broke on her lips, before she thanked him and kissed him sweetly. Showing the snow globe to his family, she explained why Oliver would buy her something like that and the meaning behind the little scene inside the globe. They all were impressed with Oliver for coming up with something like that. He simply shrugged and kissed Camila's head.

After lunch, they all went their separate ways, Oliver and Camila going back to her apartment to add the new snow globe to her collection. He saw the way her eyes shone like stars and he knew he had done well with his gift. Pulling her close, Oliver kissed her and felt her deepening the kiss.

"This was one hell of a Christmas, that's for sure.", he thought, while making their way to her bedroom to celebrate Christmas with a more physical activity.


	51. Pajamas (part 1)

**Prompt: Pajamas (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

It had been a weird week. It was the first time that Bethany had to watch Jack all on her own for a whole week. Aaron had been out of town for a case, which left her to take care of the boy since his aunt Jessica was out of town as well. She didn't mind, though, she liked the little man and it would give her some more one-on-one time with him.

The first few days had gone by smoothly. Jack was adorable and super easy to take care of. Their routine was always the same: get up; get Jack ready for school while getting ready for work; have breakfast; call Aaron on their way to Jack's school; drop him off; go to work; pick him up after school; go home; give him a bath; take care of dinner while he watches cartoons; have dinner; brush his teeth; clean the kitchen while he watches some more cartoons; put him in bed; talk to Haley; goodnight kiss; take a quick shower; and then bed.

Bethany quickly got used to that routine. Sometimes they would go for ice cream after school, but all in all, it was always the same. But then Friday came and it turned their routine out of the window. She had gone to wake him up and saw that he was sweating. Placing her hand against his forehead, she noticed he was feeling slightly hotter than usual.

Getting the thermometer from the bathroom, she checked his temperature. She was starting to get worried about the little boy. Checking the thermometer, she saw he was running a fever. She thought she should call Aaron, after all he was his son, but decided to call Jack's pediatrician first. No point in worrying Aaron before she knew if she needed to get the boy to the doctor or even the E.R.

Calling Jack's doctor, she told him that his fever was just above 100ºC, but barely. He seemed alert but still a bit uncomfortable. The doctor told her that all he needed was plenty of fluids and rest, telling him that if it rises above the 102ºC mark, to take Jack to see him. Bethany agreed and, after thanking him, ended the call. She said to Jack that today he was going to stay home from school and rest. She told him to try and get some more sleep and that she would wake him to have some lunch. The little boy gave her a small smile and fell right asleep.

Leaving the boy's room, she quickly called Aaron. He picked up after the second ring, expecting to hear his son's voice, but hearing hers instead. She told him not to freak out but that Jack was sick. She said that she had already called his doctor and that the doctor had recommended rest and fluids. She could hear in Aaron's voice the concern for his son, when telling her that they had just closed the case earlier and that he was on his way to the airport to get back home.

Bethany reassured him that Jack was okay and was getting some more sleep, in order to try and lower his fever. Aaron told her that he couldn't wait to get home and see them both. She told him that they would be waiting and after a few more minutes, hung up the call. She then made two more calls: one to her work, letting them know that she wouldn't be able to go that day, since Jack was sick, and the other to Jack's school, letting them know the same thing.

After all the calls were made, she moved to the kitchen and started planning on what to do for lunch. She went with the classics: chicken soup and fresh orange juice. She took the chicken out and let it out to defrost. That's when she had an idea to make that day a little less boring for Jack.

Going into her and Aaron's bedroom, she pulled the blankets from their bed and brought them to the living room, taking a few pillows with her as well. She placed one blanket on the floor and the others on the couch so they could cover themselves with. Spreading the pillows all around the blanket on the floor, she went and got a few of Jack's favorite movies and placed next to the DVD player. Once that was done, she went back to her bedroom and changed into some comfortable pajamas.

Bethany looked at the clock and saw it was time to start getting lunch ready. Trying to make as little noise as possible, she started with the chicken soup. Putting the chicken in a pot to boil, she moved on to the orange juice. She had lunch almost done, when Jack showed up in the kitchen, still rubbing his eyes, and told her he was thirsty. She filled a glass with some orange juice and gave it to him. The little boy drank it like he hadn't had a drink in days.

When he was finished, he looked more awake and he saw that she was wearing pajamas. That's when she told him that she was declaring that day as pajama day. Turning the stove off, she took Jack's hand and lead him back to his room. She was going to give him a bath to try and help lower the fever.

After Bethany had given Jack his bath, she changed him into a fresh pajama and brought him back to the living room. She sat the boy on the blanket and told him to choose a movie for them to see while they ate. While he was busy with picking a movie, she went back to the kitchen and prepared a bowl of soup for him, as well as a glass of juice.

Bringing it back to the living room on a tray, she placed the tray in front of him and got the movie he had chosen playing. Watching him eat, she started to think about Aaron and how worried he must've been. Sending him a quick text, she told him that Jack was up and eating. She got a text back saying that he would land in a couple of hours.

She knew it was only a matter of time until Aaron would be back home, but until then that little boy was her responsibility and she was gonna make sure he was going to be okay. No matter what.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	52. Pajamas (part 2)

**Prompt: Pajamas (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x OFC (Bethany) / Fandom: Criminal Minds**

The flight back home always felt a lot longer than the initial flight, but this time around it was like time was mocking him, passing as slow as a turtle. When his phone rang that morning and he saw that it was Bethany calling, he thought that he was gonna hear his son's voice on the other end of the line, so when he heard Bethany's voice instead, he knew something was wrong.

Hearing her telling him that Jack had a fever, was like getting hit the stomach. Luckily, they were already packing up to leave, so he knew he would be home in a matter of hours, but still, he felt that it was too long. Sitting in the jet, he couldn't help but think of how calm and collected Bethany sounded. She told him how she had already called Jack's doctor and the recommendations he had made, so he knew Jack was in good hands. Still, he couldn't help but worry about his son.

Bethany had just texted him, letting him know that Jack was up and eating. A small relief washed over him, knowing his son was on his way to get better. He couldn't help but thank God for Bethany. She had been there for them in more ways than one and this time was no exception.

He knew it couldn't be easy for her. In the past, when Jack had gotten sick, either Aaron would be around or Jack would be at his aunt Jessica, so she had never had to take care of him completely on her own. This time was different. He was out of the state working a case and Jessica was away as well, visiting friends. It was all up to Bethany and, by the sound of it, she was handling it well.

Eventually, the jet landed and, after saying a quick goodbye to his team, he got into his SUV and drove home. He didn't know what to expect. Would Jack be feeling better or worse? Was Bethany able to take care of him or did she needed more help than she cared to admit? All those thoughts swirled in his mind, making him get more nervous than he should.

He got to his building and, as soon as he was at his doorstep, he heard Jack's laugh. A small and tired laugh, but a laugh none the less. Opening the door and walking in, the sight before him surprised him, in a good way. Bethany and Jack were sitting on a blanket on the floor, wrapped in another blanket, with pillows around them, and watching one of Jack's movies.

Bethany looked back at him and smiled, telling Jack that he was home. Jack called him over and he could tell his son was tired, just by the way he had said "dad!". Dropping his bag by the front door, he walked over to where they were sitting. He noticed then they were both on their pajamas and, after hugging his son and checking his temperature with his hand, he gave a puzzled look to Bethany.

She chuckled, understanding why he was looking at her like that. She asked Jack to tell him why they were still in their pajamas in the middle of the afternoon. The little boy told him that Bethany had declared that that day was now pajama day, giggling at Aaron's expression.

Aaron chuckled at the idea, understanding why she had done that. It was her way to make the day less boring for Jack, and he couldn't help but fall in love with her even more. Leaving his son, he leaned into Bethany and kissed her, thanking her for taking such good care of Jack.

She just shrugged and gave him a smile. He decided to join in and went to take a shower and change into his own pajama. Coming back into the living room, he heard Bethany telling him that, if he was hungry, there was chicken soup and fresh orange juice in the kitchen.

Aaron nodded and made his way to the kitchen to get some juice for the three of them. He started thinking that he had worried for nothing, it was clear that Bethany had everything under control. He heard movement behind him and felt arms snaking themselves around his waist. Turning around, he saw Bethany standing there. Pulling her closer, he kissed her and felt her kissing him back.

Aaron couldn't believe his luck. Not only did he had found someone who loved him deeply and was okay with his crazy work hours, but who loved Jack almost as much he loved him. He thanked her again and told her that he loved her and that he had missed her. She kissed him and told him she loved him too and missed him as well.

They heard Jack call out for them. Grabbing the glasses from the counter, they made their way back to the little boy, sitting on the floor next to him, each on one side. Aaron looked at both Jack and Bethany and smiled, thinking that he was lucky to have an adoring son and a woman that loved them both. "To the start of a new tradition.", Aaron thought, before trying to focus on the movie.


	53. Song (part 1)

**Prompt: Song (part 1)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Christine) / Fandom: Marvel**

The night had been filled with laugher and music. Tony had set up a karaoke machine and, after a few drinks, every Avenger had taken their turn singing. From pop to classic rock and some Christmas songs, everyone was singing and having a blast. It didn't matter if you could sing or not, everyone was taking their turn.

Steve was sitting on one of the couches, listening to Tony sing "Shoot to thrill", his arm wrapped around Christine's shoulder. He could hear her sing along very softly, not wanting anyone else to hear her. Steve couldn't understand why she didn't want people to know that she could sing, but never wanted to push her into it.

Looking back at her, he could hardly believe his luck. There he was, engaged to this amazing woman, and with all the time in the world. She was kind, funny, sweet and understood what it meant to be in a relationship with him. All the long missions and sleepless nights, she understood them and never, not once, did she complain about it.

Tony finished his song and started teasing Steve to sing something, since he had yet to do it. Steve laughed and declined, saying he couldn't sing. He could hear Christine chuckle beside him, and he knew very well why. He wasn't exactly telling Tony the truth. He could carry a tune, but he felt like Tony didn't need to know that. Tony teased him enough already, without having that information as well.

Tony soon changed targets and moved on to Natasha, allowing Steve to let out a sigh of relief. Christine hit him gently with her elbow, making him look back at her. She was smiling and told him that he should do it. After all, everyone else did, even Bruce. That's when he had an idea, something that he thought it might help him get away with not singing.

Steve told her that, if she sang with him, then he would do it. He thought that there was no way she would do it, that way he wouldn't have to either. But he didn't know if it had been because he had asked or if it was the alcohol in her system, she agreed, leaving him wide-eyed looking back at her, while she got up from the couch.

Following her, still uncertain if she was really going through with it, he realized she was making her way towards the improvised stage that Tony had set up. He could hear everyone cheering and cat-calling them, but he ignored them, only focusing on her.

Christine chose the song. When he started hearing those first cords, he immediately knew what song it was and chuckled. She had chosen one of their favorite Christmas songs, "Baby, it's cold outside". She sang those first few lyrics and everyone was enthralled. He followed her cue and they sang their hearts out.

Looking out to their friends, he saw everyone completely surprised at their singing abilities, smiling and swaying their heads at the pace of the song. He looked back at Christine, smiling and pulling her close, so they would be swaying in place.

When the song was over, he leaned in and kissed her, feeling her kissing him back. They were surprised by the wave of applause that came from their friends, making both of them blush slightly. Going back to their friends, they were bombarded with questions and compliments.

Eventually, they were able to break away, when Sam and Clint took the microphone and began to sing again. Taking her hand in his, Steve took Christine to the kitchen and pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, while his were around her waist. Leaning in, Steve kissed her passionately, feeling her kissing him back.

They stood there for a while, just enjoying being in each other's arms, until they decided they should get back to the living room, before they would send someone to get them. Sitting back on the couch, they saw their friends putting on a show every time someone was singing. Christine ended up singing a few more times with the girls and even Steve went up there again with the guys.

Steve looked around once again, while sitting in couch after another song with the guys, and couldn't help but smile. Around him was his family. A crazy and dysfunctional family, but family none the less. He felt he was a lucky man, for not only having friends like them but for also having such an amazing woman by his side.

"Another great Christmas.", he thought, before kissing the side of Christine's head.


	54. Song (part 2)

**Prompt: Song (part 2)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

It was the end of the night. Everyone had been laughing, talking and singing, with the help of Tony's new karaoke machine, all through the night. Now, they were just relaxing, some on the couches, others on the floor. They were still talking, but it wasn't like just a few hours before, where they had been a lot louder than they were in that moment.

He was talking to Clint about his plans for Christmas and what he had gotten to his children, when he saw Christine make her way towards one of the large windows that led to the balcony, the city lights before her. He knew that she loved that view.

The mood all around was calm, you could tell everyone was tired and content. That's when they heard Christine. She was so taken with the view in front of her, she didn't realize she was starting to sing out loud. They could hear her starting to sing "Silent Night" and the sound of her voice was as smooth as velvet, lullabying them.

At first, they just let her sing, smiling at memories that that song brought back to a lot of them. Christine was almost done with the song when his friends decided that it shouldn't end like that, so what they did next surprised him. He heard Pepper ask her to sing it again, since it was one of her favorite Christmas songs. Christine smiled and nodded, starting the song from the beginning, before turning back towards the window.

That's when Natasha, Wanda and Pepper joined her, much to Steve's surprise. What happen next took Christine by surprise as well, he could clearly tell. Everyone decided to join in on the song and soon they were all singing in choir. She continued singing, now with the help of everyone in the room. Some better than others, but it was still a sight to be seen. All of the Avengers, sitting around in the living room of Stark Towers, singing a Christmas song.

Steve looked around the room, seeing his friends scattered around. Tony had Pepper in his arms, in one of the couches, singing into each other. Next to him was Rhodey and Bruce, both men looking pensive as they sang, but with smiles on their faces. On the floor was Bucky, Sam and Clint and on the couch behind them was Natasha, Wanda and Vision, most of them lost in their own thoughts, while singing, and Wanda teaching Vision the lyrics as she sang to him.

He couldn't help but think that, despite everything they had been through together, this group of super soldiers, metahumans and trained assassins could still surprise him. Never would he have thought that he would hear all of them singing a Christmas song as a choir.

Steve took one last look around the room before getting up and walking over to where Christine was, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, singing along with her and their friends. He felt her resting her arms on his and leaning her head back into his chest while singing the last few notes of the song.

When the song was over, they looked back and everyone was smiling at them. In Steve's mind, this had been the perfect way to end the night.


	55. Movie Night (part 1)

**Prompt: Movie Night (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

It had been a while since everyone had spent time together and with Christmas approaching, Jennifer felt it was the perfect time to do something about it. She wasn't certain as to what exactly, all she knew was that it had to be something where they could just relax and enjoy each other's company.

At first, she thought about going on a picnic in the mainland, but that idea was quickly set aside, due to the rain season. Then she thought about a dinner date, but she put that one aside as well. It would give unnecessary work to the kitchen staff. It was getting harder and harder to come up with something that they could do together.

It was Jennifer's day off and she decided to clean her quarters. That's when she had an idea. Looking through the few DVDs she had brought with her, she decided that a movie night was a good idea. They could all relax, eat popcorn and just enjoy the little free time they had.

Deciding what movie to watch was a different struggle. She had brought with her movies with a wide range of genres, from sci-fi to action and comedy. Thinking of one to see with everyone, she thought that, since Christmas was approaching, it would be nice to watch a Christmas movie. And she had just the perfect one.

But first things first, she had to invite everyone. She started with Beckett, since they worked together, it was only logical that she would invite him first. She told him about her plan and asked if he was interested in joining her and the rest of their friends. Beckett gave her a bright smile and told her that he would love to. Leaving the infirmary, Jennifer knew that, if everyone was as happy as Beckett, this would be a breeze.

Next, she went to Elizabeth. Jennifer knew she was a very busy woman, but she was hoping that Elizabeth could join them. Again, just like with Beckett, she told her about her plan and asked if she could join them. Elizabeth told her that, as long as she was free, she would definitely go. Jennifer smiled and moved on to the next person on her list.

Finding the next person on her list wasn't hard. Sheppard was easily found in one of the gyms, sparring with either Teyla or Ronon, so either way, she would be able to kill two birds with one stone. After checking the first two gyms, she finally found Sheppard and, as predicted, he was sparring with Teyla. But she also found, not only Ronon but Lorne as well. "Talk about hitting the jackpot.", she thought, walking further inside the gym.

Sheppard and Teyla stopped sparring when they saw Jennifer, thinking that maybe something had happened and the team was needed. Jennifer quickly put their minds to rest, telling them that she was there with an invitation. Telling them what she had planned, she invited them all. Both Teyla and Ronon said that they would be there, since they were always curious about Earth culture and movies always gave them a glimpse of that. She told Sheppard that Elizabeth had already agreed to go, as long as she was free. Sheppard said that he would go, even if Elizabeth couldn't. She also mentioned to Lorne that she also wanted to invite Lisa, his girlfriend, but since she was off-world, maybe he could pass the message on. He agreed and told her that as long as no missions come up, they would both be there.

Jennifer thanked them before leaving the gym and moving on to the last person on her list. She made her way to McKay's lab, leaving him for last because she knew he would probably put up a fight about wasting time that he could spend working, even if it was time spent with his girlfriend. They had been together for a while and sometimes she still needed to remind McKay to be human, as she would say.

Walking inside the lab, she saw McKay working on his computer. She called out to him, not wanting to startle him. He turned and smiled at her. She gave him a quick kiss and told him that she needed to talk to him. She told him about movie night in her quarters and said she expected him to be there. Much to her surprise, McKay agreed, saying that any excuse to spend more time with her was a good excuse. Kissing him one last time, she left to go and get everything ready.

Going back to her quarters, she rearranged her room so everyone was turned towards the tv. Pulling the movie out from the small cabinet where the tv and DVD were set, she looked at the cover and couldn't help but smile. "It's a wonderful life, indeed.", she thought, right before she heard someone was at her door.


	56. Movie Night (part 2)

**Prompt: Movie Night (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Lisa) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

Lisa had barely stepped through the gate when she was welcomed by Evan's smiling face. She nodded in his direction and, after handing over her medical field kit, she walked over to him to say hi. They had been together for a while now, but were very discrete about their relationship in public.

Evan greeted her and told her that they needed to talk. She knew it wasn't anything serious, otherwise he wouldn't be smiling. She asked him what was going on, while making their way back to the armory so she could take her tactical gear off.

He told her how Jennifer had come to him and invited them both to a movie night in her quarters. He had said that he needed to check with her first, before giving Jennifer an answer. Lisa asked who would be there, to which Evan replied that all their friends were going. She thought for a moment, while entering the armory. "It would be fun to get everyone together, since it had been a while since we were all in the same room doing something non-related to our jobs.", she said, taking her gear off and placing it in one of the lockers.

Lisa then told him that they should go and just have fun. Evan agreed and said that she should be the one telling Jennifer. She told him that she would and that she was going to find her to confirm they were going. Evan then wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a passionate kiss before they left the armory. She had been gone for three days and he had missed her. She kissed him back with as much passion. She had missed him too.

Finding Jennifer wasn't hard. She was already in her quarters getting everything ready for movie night. Lisa knocked on the door and was greeted by a smiling Jennifer. She invited her in and asked how the mission went. After talking for a while about it, Lisa told her that Evan had talked to her about her plan and that they were happy to go and just spend some time with their friends. Jennifer smiled and said that it would be fun, before Lisa left to freshen up before coming back for the night.

The rest of the day was a blur. Between briefing both Elizabeth and Beckett on how the mission went and getting some much-needed rest, soon was time to meet Evan and go to Jennifer's quarters. Lisa knocked on Evan's door and heard him call out a "come in". She walked in his room and waited. Evan came in the room from the bathroom, clearly having just gotten ready. He greeted her with a passionate kiss, pulling her close to him.

She kissed him back with as much passion and only broke the kiss because of lack of air. They stood there, in the middle of his room, in each other's arms, just enjoying the moment. Eventually they had to move from where they were so they could go and see their friends.

Making their way to Jennifer's quarters, they ran into both Teyla and Ronon and walked together, talking about missions and news from the mainland where Teyla's people were now settled. They arrived at Jennifer's quarters at the same time as Sheppard and Elizabeth. Knocking on the door, they were greeted by a smiling Jennifer.

Jennifer welcomed them in and Lisa saw that Beckett and McKay were already there. Lisa and Evan greeted the men and, at Jennifer's request, found a place to just relax and watch the movie. They sat on a couch that she had asked Elizabeth to be placed there just for that night, Lisa firmly wrapped in Evan's arms, leaning against his chest.

Bowls of popcorn were passed around and soon Jennifer was pressing the start button for the movie. Lisa couldn't help but smile at her choice. "It's a wonderful life" was a Christmas classic and very fitting for that time of the year. Everyone was completely enthralled with the movie, herself included.

At some point, Lisa felt Evan tighten his embrace on her and kissing the top of her head. Looking back at him, she felt his lips on hers, a quick and soft kiss, simply to remind her that he loved her. She turned back at the movie and smiled. It was so rare the occasions where they could be like this, in each other's arms and openly kissing, but they were amongst friends, so it was okay.

She remembered that went they started dating, they both had gone to talk to Elizabeth to make sure they weren't breaking any rules. When she gave them her blessing, it felt like a weight had been lifted from both of them. From there, it was only a matter of time before they started telling their friends. They had also agreed that, in public, they would be as professional as possible. That way, no one could accuse them of being unprofessional and they wouldn't put Elizabeth in a though spot. This was two years ago and they've never been happier.

Her attention was brought back to the room when she heard Jennifer explaining something to Ronon and Teyla. Looking around the room at their friends, Lisa couldn't help but smile. "It sure is a wonderful life.", she thought, before adjusting herself against Evan and focusing on the movie.


	57. Party Dress (part 1)

**Prompt: Party Dress (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Hawaii 5-0**

It was, again, that time of the year. The Governor was throwing his annual fundraiser party and, as it has been every year, the 5-0 task force was invited. That meant that, by extension, so was whoever they chose as their plus one. Everyone was taking someone and since the majority of the members were men, who all they had to wear was a tuxedo or a nice suit, it meant that Kono and the girls had to find dresses to wear.

Kono had talked to the girls and they all agreed to go dress shopping together, making a "girls day" out of it. She had just picked up Autumn, Steve's girlfriend, and were on their way to meet the rest of the girls at the local mall. They were meeting Melissa, Danny's girlfriend, Abby, Chin's girlfriend, and Renee, Lou's wife.

They found the girls waiting for them at the food court. After saying their hellos, they made their way down the corridors, stopping every once in a while, to go in a store and try something that might had caught their eye from the store window. For Kono this was a nice change, since she spent her days surrounded by testosterone.

They walked into a store that Melissa had talked about and said that they had some really nice dresses and not at all expensive. Searching in the hangers for something that caught their eye, Melissa was the first to find something. It was a pale pink, around the neck neckline, short dress. She went to try it on and when she came out, everyone was in agreement that that was the dress for her.

After changing back to her street clothes, Melissa joined the others to help them find something. Suddenly, they heard Renee exclaiming an "Ah, ah". Looking back at her, they saw that she had a dress in her hand and was already making her way to the dressing rooms to try it. When she came out, she looked beautiful. Her dress was a dark shade of red, with a crossed upper body, large shoulder straps and a slit up her left leg up to her mid-thigh. She looked stunning in it.

Renee decided to go with that one, since it was the only one that she had actually liked. Like Melissa, Renee changed back into her clothes and went back to help the girls. Kono was next in finding a dress. She changed into it and showed the girls. It was a black, lacy dress, that shone under the lights, just above the knee, with a boat neckline. It fitted her beautifully and they all agreed that it looked perfect on her. Kono agreed with the girls and decided to take it, before going back and changing out of it.

There were only two left: Abby and Autumn. Every once in a while, they would find something, but it either didn't fit properly or it just didn't look good. It wasn't like for the rest of the girls was easy, it wasn't. They all had tried a number of different dresses before finding the one dress that was just perfect.

Kono, Melissa and Renee could tell that Abby and Autumn were losing hope on finding a dress. Giving it a last try, they sent Abby to the dressing room first with something they all had chosen for her. She came out with a smile on her face, saying that that was her dress. It was a red, floral laced bodice, half sleeve, with a boat neckline, just above her knees. She looked stunning. They all agreed and she went back to change.

Next, it was Autumn's turn. She came out and was wearing a black, off the shoulder, high-low dress. It was beautiful in its simplicity. The girls all agreed that that was the one. Autumn changed back into her clothes and moved to the front of the store with the girls, so they could pay.

Leaving the store with their dresses firmly secured in their arms, they decided to grab a drink at the food court. Sitting down after getting their drinks, the girls toasted to a successful dress shopping trip. They were all happy with the dresses they had found and couldn't wait to show their respective dress to the men in their lives.

Deciding to call it a day, they agreed to meet up again the next day so they could get their nails and hair done before the party. It would give them time to just relax and talk some more, this time without the pressure of having to find a dress.

Parting ways, Kono couldn't help but think about how much fun this party was gonna be. Sure, basically 5-0 was there on business, being the poster kids for a successful initiative of the Governor, but that didn't mean they couldn't have some fun. And that was exactly what Kono was counting on.

(To be continued in Part 2)


	58. Party Dress (part 2)

**Prompt: Party Dress (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve McGarrett x OFC (Autumn) / Fandom: Hawaii 5-0**

Steve finished up getting ready and looked at his watch. Another five minutes and it was time to leave and pick up Autumn for the Governor's party. It wasn't like he was particularly thrilled to be attending it, but just by knowing that Autumn was going to be there by his side, was worth putting up with a night of being the poster kids of the Governor.

Steve started remembering the first time he saw Autumn. She had just started working for Kamekona in his shrimp truck. She was polite, sweet and always had a smile on her face. After a while, she was part of their Ohana and she felt the same about them.

Things between them started off slow. Sometimes, he happened to be there when she would end her shift and he would offer her a ride home. She didn't have a car, so Steve didn't mind taking her home. During those rides, they end up getting to know each other better, finding out they had a lot in common.

It took a few months, a lot of car rides and a ton of persistence from Danny, for him to ask her out on a date. He took her sight seeing around the island, since she had told him she didn't know the island as well as she wished. After that, they had dinner at Kamekona's and he took her home.

From there, it was only a matter of time for them to become official before their friends. It amazed him how well she had meshed with the rest of the team, becoming a close friend to all of them and their significant others. They would go to her for advice or just to vent and she would do the same.

Steve took another look at his watch and saw it was time. Locking the door behind him, he got in his truck and drove to Autumn's house. He couldn't wait to see her. Driving through the city, he thought about how much he loved her and how happy he was with her. He knew he would do anything for her and would never do anything to hurt her.

He got to her house and parked the truck out front. Leaving the car, he made his way towards her door and knocked. Adjusting his cuffs, he heard the door opening and when he looked up, he couldn't believe his eyes. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a black, off the shoulder, high-low dress. It was simple but it fitted her perfectly. She had her hair up in a bun, with loose strands framing her face, with light makeup. She looked perfect.

Smiling at her, he told her how beautiful she looked before leaning in and kissing her, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her closer to him. She smiled at him and thanked him, saying that he looked very handsome in his black suit and buttoned shirt, his top two buttons undone.

He asked her if she was ready and she said all she needed was her purse. She came back and he offered her his arm, before walking back to his truck. He opened the door for her and helped her get in. Walking around the truck so he could get in, he couldn't take his eyes away from her.

The whole ride to the hotel that was holding the party his eyes would wander towards her, every once in a while, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing it. He couldn't believe his luck. She was the light in his life and he was proud to say that he was hers.

They arrived at the hotel and Steve handed the keys to the valet. Opening her door for her and helping her get out of the truck, he once again offered his arm to her, which she gladly accepted. They walked in the room and quickly found the rest of the team. After saying their hellos and complimenting everyone on their looks, Steve asked Autumn if she wanted to dance.

The band was playing a slow song and Steve thought it was perfect. Wrapping his arms around her, he felt her own wrap around his neck. Leaning in, he kissed her and felt her kissing him back. They just stood there, swaying to the rhythm of the song, staring into each other's eyes. He whispered an "I love you" and heard her saying it back.

The night was filled with laughter and conversation. He looked around his friends and couldn't help but think of how lucky he was. He had friends that were Ohana to him and a woman that he would die for. "Life is good.", he thought, before proposing a toast.


	59. Party (part 1)

**Prompt: Party (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

New Year's Eve was just around the corner and Elizabeth wanted to do something special to mark another year in Atlantis. She decided that throwing a party wasn't a bad idea, the problem would be setting everything up along with running the day-to-day operations of the city.

Elizabeth thought long and hard, weighing in all her options and, in the end, she came to the realization that she couldn't do it alone. She had to rely on someone else to help her organize everything, from music to food and drinks. She knew that she needed someone that could take the lead on it and only come to her when absolutely needed. There was only one person she could think of: Teyla.

Teyla had proven, time and time again, that she could take care of things and get them done. She had been helping Elizabeth by taking the role of her assistant, by taking care of scheduling meetings and remembering her of them, whenever she wasn't off-world with Sheppard and the rest of the team. Elizabeth knew if she asked Teyla to help her with the party, she would do it exemplary.

Elizabeth called Teyla to her office and told her about her plan and asked her if she would be willing to help her. Teyla thought for a moment, ending up agreeing, telling her that she already knew where to go to get drinks for the party. Elizabeth thanked her for agreeing and then told her everything that needed to be done. Teyla took notes on her tablet and told Elizabeth that she would take care of everything, before leaving her office.

Once Teyla left Elizabeth's office, her first stop was with Chuck, one of the gate's technicians. She asked him if he could show her the city's layout. She was looking for a space large enough that could hold as many people as possible. After a few minutes of looking through the city's map, she eventually had a few options that looked suitable to hold the party. Thanking Chuck, she left to go and see which one was better.

She looked around each room that was on her list. Some were too big, others not big enough. Some were too far away and others just weren't in working condition. Eventually, she found a room that was just right. It had enough room to hold everyone, it was close enough of the gate and other important areas, in case something happened, and had large windows that looked out to the ocean below them, as a plus. Marking it in her map, she moved on to her next task.

Teyla walked into the mess hall and made a beeline for the head chef. Telling him what Elizabeth had planned, she asked him if it could be possible for him to prepare something for the party. She knew it was short-notice and apologized for it, but she thought that it would be good for everyone if they could celebrate another year in the city. The chef took a few minutes to think about it, but eventually agreed to make something special for the occasion. She told him where the room where the party was going to be held was and, after thanking him, left to go take care of the rest of her list.

Teyla knew she was going to need help setting everything up. She needed tables and chairs and people to carry and set them up. So, her next stop was with Sheppard. Who better than some marines to carry the heavy stuff? She found Sheppard on one of the gyms, sparring with Lorne. Telling him she needed to talk to him, they stopped sparring, Lorne moving to a punching bag so they could talk alone.

She told him what was going on and that she needed help from him. He agreed it was a good idea and asked her what she needed. She replied saying that she needed a few men to help her with carrying tables and chairs to the room. He told her that he was gonna send a few guys to meet her so she could tell them what needed to be done. Teyla also told him that she needed to borrow Lorne for a couple of hours to go to the mainland and talk to her people. Sheppard gave her the okay and she moved to talk to Lorne.

Lorne was throwing punches and didn't realize Teyla had approaching him, until she cleared her throat. She told him that she needed to go to the mainland and, if he was free, she wanted him to take her. She added that she had already cleared it with Sheppard, but she wanted to make sure he was free to take her, since it would take a couple of hours. Lorne told her that he was free and all he needed was to take a quick shower and that he would meet her in the jumper's bay in thirty minutes. Teyla smiled and thanked him, agreeing to meet him in thirty minutes.

She made her way out of the gym and walked towards Elizabeth's office, not only to let her know that she was going to the mainland with Lorne in a jumper, but to also let her know of the progress made until that point.

Knocking on the door of Elizabeth's office, Teyla saw Elizabeth signaling her to come in as she was just finishing up a meeting with some of the doctors from the expedition. Teyla then began telling her what had been done that far and that she was leaving for a couple of hours to go to the mainland, taking a jumper and Lorne with her. To say Elizabeth was surprised at how much she had been able to do since they talked that morning, was an understatement. Elizabeth gave her the okay to take Lorne and a jumper and thanked her for everything she was doing.

Elizabeth saw Teyla leaving her office, after thanking her back, to go meet Lorne and couldn't help but be impressed with the Athosian. It such little time, she had been able to accomplish so much. Elizabeth was glad that she had entrusted Teyla with planning the party. "Here's to another year.", Elizabeth thought, smiling, before going back to work.


	60. Party (part 2)

**Prompt: Party (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Evan Lorne x OFC (Lexi) / Fandom: Stargate Atlantis**

It was New Year's Eve and everyone was excited about the party that Elizabeth had decided to throw. It was also the end of another year in Atlantis. But for Lexi, it also marked the four-year anniversary of being with Evan. They had begun dating four-years ago to the day and it had been one hell of a rollercoaster.

Lexi was finishing getting ready when there was a knock on her door. She knew exactly who it was and when she opened the door, she was greeted by a smiling Evan. Telling him to come in, she quickly felt Evan's arms around her waist, turning her to him, and kissing her deeply. When they broke the kiss, he whispered a "happy anniversary", followed by an "I love you. She answered and kissed him again.

They broke free from each other's arms and Lexi went to get her earpiece, the only thing left that she was missing before leaving her room, her hand in his. Walking through the city's corridors, they started talking and reminiscing on all the good times they have had since they started dating: the trips to the mainland for a picnic; the little gifts he would bring her when he would go off-world; when they told their friends about them, amongst others.

Soon, they were walking into the room where the party was being held. Looking around, they were impressed with Teyla's work. There was food and drinks set out in a line of tables against one wall, chairs spread around near the other walls and decorations all around the room. They could hear music and spotted a sound system in a corner, setting the mood for the party.

Lexi saw Sheppard and his team near one of the tables and, after pointing them out to Evan, made their way towards them. They greeted the team and stood there for a few minutes, just catching up. Eventually, Evan asked her if she wanted something to drink and, after she had said yes, left with Sheppard and Ronon to get their drinks, leaving her with Teyla, Beckett and McKay.

Lexi congratulated Teyla on an amazing job with the party and they spent the next few minutes talking about it, Beckett and McKay giving their opinion as well. The conversation flowed between them fairly easy, since they've all had known each other almost since the beginning.

Meanwhile, Evan was back at the tables, nerves starting to consume him. Sheppard and Ronon were trying their best to keep him calm and to help him relax, telling him that everything was going to be okay and that nothing was gonna go wrong. Evan tried his best to believe his friends, but he was just too nervous.

Going back to where the group was, carrying their drinks, Evan handed Lexi her drink and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing the side of her head in the process. He tried to keep up with the conversations that were going on between them, but he just couldn't focus. He suddenly saw Elizabeth through the corner of his eye and excused himself.

He approached Elizabeth and after congratulating her on the idea for the party, he asked if he could talk to her. She agreed, seeing that he was slightly nervous, thinking that something might have happened before she got there. Moving to a more secluded corner where Lexi couldn't see them, Evan told Elizabeth why he was so nervous and she understood, telling him that everything was going to be okay and that she knew for a fact that he was gonna be fine.

After talking to her, he felt a little bit better. Walking back to where everyone was, they joined in on the laughter and spent the rest of the time just talking and laughing. After a while, everyone needed another round so the group moved closer to the tables.

Eventually, it was midnight. The traditional countdown was made and the celebratory toasts began, everyone cheering and wishing a "happy new year" all around. Evan pulled Lexi close and kissed her, telling her that his only wish was to be with her. That's when he took her hand and lead her out of the room and to the closest open balcony.

Once on the balcony, he took her as close to the opening as possible, so they could have the stars just above them, and told her to just stand there, because he had something to tell her. She looked confused, but agreed none the less. Evan told her how much he loved her and how his life wasn't the same without her in it. He said that he couldn't imagine living the rest of his life without her and that's when he dropped down to one knee, pulling a small box from his pocket. Opening it, inside was a simple engagement ring. He got chocked up, looking up at her and seeing tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her lips, but he pushed through and asked her.

\- "Lexi Ward, would you make me the happiest man in two galaxies and marry me?"

She could barely speak, but she managed to say yes, before leaning down and kissing him deeply. Evan stood up and placed the ring on her finger. Pulling her close, he kissed her and felt her kissing him back. When they broke the kiss, they couldn't help but laugh from happiness. "This is going to be one happy new year, for sure.", he thought, before pulling her close and kissing her again.


	61. Midnight Kiss (part 1)

**Prompt: Midnight Kiss (part 1)**

 **Pairing: N/A / Fandom: Marvel**

New Year's Eve had arrived and, with it, one of Tony's famous parties. Only this time, it was slightly different. This time, instead of inviting strangers, he had invited only his friends. Everything was ready. He had the DJ setting the mood, the food placed in tables around the room, the drinks were flowing and the decorations were everywhere. Now, to have some fun.

Tony walked around the room, with Pepper by his side. His first stop was with Bruce and Natasha. It was quite a sight, seeing Bruce, who had a problem with stress, being so in love with Natasha, someone who thrived in stressful situations. However, she was able to do something that no one else could: she could calm the Hulk and bring back Bruce. Tony greeted them, telling them to eat and drink and wished them a happy new year.

He spotted Rhodey, Sam and Bucky in a corner of the room, having some sort of argument. When he got closer, Pepper staying behind with Bruce and Natasha, he realized that the argument was about who could kick the Hulk's ass in a one-on-one fight. Tony shook his head and decided to leave them to their argument, before walking away.

Tony had invited Clint, as well as his wife, but he wasn't sure the man would actually show up. So, when he saw him coming out of the elevator with his wife by his side, Tony was thrilled. Sure, he would call him "Legolas" and "Stick in the mud", but that didn't mean that he disliked the man. Engulfing Clint in a tight hug and kissing his wife's hand, he told them where to find drinks and food and left them so they could greet the others.

A flash of light was his cue to know that Thor had arrived. Looking out to the balcony, sure enough there he was, accompanied by his girlfriend Jane. Tony walked out and welcomed them, leading them inside and letting everyone know that they had arrived. He left them to say hello to everyone and walked over to Vision and Wanda.

He asked them how they were doing and if they were comfortable at the compound. Wanda assured him that they were fine there and that they were happy to be spending the new year with their friends. Vision then asked Tony what was the normal conduct for a night like that, to which he heard Pepper say, behind him, to let Wanda explain that to him, since Tony wasn't the best person to explain. With all his excesses and such, he was quite the wrong role model.

Tony chuckled and said that Pepper was right, before leaving them. He heard the elevator opening and, when he looked over, saw Steve and Samantha, his girlfriend, walking out of it. He had meet Samantha before, but had yet to actually have a proper conversation with the woman.

Steve and Samantha had only been dating for a few weeks, taking things slow since this was Steve's first real girlfriend since he defrosted. So, it had impressed Tony when Steve asked him if it was okay for him to take Samantha to the party. Tony asked him if he was ready for her to meet all of them, to which Steve answered that if she could handle all of them in one room, then she could handle everything that came with being his girlfriend.

Tony had chuckled and said that he made a good point. They could be a rowdy bunch, specially after a few drinks and drinks were something that were flowing that night. He had to give it to Steve. The man was right, if she could handle them at their drunkest, she could handle them at their best behavior.

Grabbing a drink from the bar, Tony leaned against the bar top and looked around. In one room, were all the people he cared about. Seeing them all there, talking and laughing, made his heart full. He knew he could be the most stubborn man in the world, and sometimes the most egocentric one, but they all had their own unique way to bring him down to reality.

Things weren't always easy, they had made mistakes in the past, but even through all of that, they managed to stay together. "Here's to one hell of a new year.", he thought, before taking a sip of his drink and making his way back to Pepper's side.


	62. Midnight Kiss (part 2)

**Prompt: Midnight Kiss (part 2)**

 **Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (Samantha) / Fandom: Marvel**

Steve had decided to take Samantha to Tony's New Year's party. It was a big deal for him, since they had only been dating for a few weeks. But he knew it was time she would meet everyone. It would give her a sense of who his friends were and how crazy his life could get.

Steve wanted to take things slow, after all, they had only started dating just a few weeks before and they had yet to kiss. She was his first real girlfriend and he just wanted to make sure that things were just right, before taking that step. Besides, he believed in court shipping her before making any kind of move. He was old school like that.

They had arrived at Tony's party and were quickly greeted by Tony, telling them where to find food and drinks and to have fun before he moved on to greet someone else. He shook his head after Tony left, knowing how the man could be. Looking back at Samantha, her hand in his, he saw her smirking at Tony's behavior, before she let out a chuckle.

They made their way to the bar and ordered their drinks. Once their drinks were in their hands, Steve began introducing Samantha to everyone. Everyone welcomed her with open arms, specially Pepper, Laura, Clint's wife, and Jane. He guessed it was because they were the only one's without any sort of combat special skills, so they knew how she felt being in the middle of Gods, super soldiers and assassins. They took her under her wing and he saw Samantha smiling brightly and thankfully at them.

They sat on one of the couches, Samantha still talking to Pepper and Laura, since Jane had been taken away by Thor to talk to Bruce, as he was talking to Sam and Bucky. With an arm wrapped around her shoulders, he would look back at her every once in a while, and she would always be smiling, completely enthralled with the stories that the girls were telling her about the Avengers. He knew that a few of those stories she already knew through Sam and Bucky, but, as she later pointed out, it was nice to hear those stories from the perspective of Pepper and Laura, who had to experience those stories from the sidelines, while their loved ones were smack in the middle of it.

Steve turned his attention back to Sam and Bucky. It had amazed him how well they started getting along, once Samantha had become a part of their lives. Before, there was constant bickering between the two of them, but now they were like brothers. Brothers who would tease each other, but brothers none the less.

Time flew by and before they knew midnight was upon them. Tony had begun the countdown and everyone joined in. Everyone had a champagne glass in their hands and, at the stroke of midnight, everyone yelled "Happy New Year". Steve took a sip of his champagne and pulled Samantha to him, leaning into her and kissing her.

He felt her kissing him back and wrapping an arm around his neck. Her lips tasted of champagne and he relished the taste. The world around them vanished in that moment. It felt like there was just the two of them in that perfect moment in time. Breaking the kiss, he looked at her and saw stars in her eyes. Smiling, he kissed her again before being interrupted by Tony.

Chuckling, he hugged the man, his eyes never leaving Samantha, who was now wrapped in Pepper's arms. Hugs were given all around, as well as wishes for a happy and peaceful new year. He saw Samantha being bear hugged by both Bucky and Sam, hearing her clearly saying that she couldn't breath but laughing while saying it.

Steve took a step back and had a good look around. Everyone was happy and cheerful. His heart was full of love and care for the people in that room, and yes, even for Tony. Taking another sip from his almost empty glass, he smiled. "This is going to be a very good new year.", he thought, before laughing at the sight of Bucky being picked up by Thor in a bear hug of his own.


End file.
